TVAC

How To Choose The Right Virtual Assistant For You

Choosing The Right Property VA For You

By TVAC / July 20, 2023 July 20, 2023 / Leave a Comment / Outsourcing, Property

In today’s fast-paced world, busy business owners and property professionals often find themselves juggling multiple tasks, wearing too many hats, spinning plates, and struggling to maintain a healthy work-life balance. But the smart ones are calling on Virtual Assistants to alleviate their workload, enhance productivity, and essentially, buy themselves another pair of hands! Property Virtual Assistants (and Remote Specialists) are remote property professionals who provide a vast range of business, technical and creative support to busy individuals or businesses. Working with a Property Virtual Assistant (VA) can bring a wealth of benefits for you and your property business and give you peace of mind. But how do you go about choosing the right property VA for you? With the demand for high-quality remote professionals on the rise, it’s crucial to choose the right property VA who is a great fit for you, your brand, and your team, and who can meet your specific needs. In this insight article, we will guide you through the process of choosing the right VA for you. Assess Your Needs Before diving into the process of choosing the right property VA for you, it’s essential to think about what it is exactly that you are looking for from a remote professional. Think about specific skills and experience they might need, and the type of person that you would work well with. Once you have identified your specific needs and requirements, take some time to think about the specific tasks that you need support with, such as researching areas, sourcing property deals, managing pipelines, setting up systems and processes, scheduling appointments, social media management, content creation, marketing support, proofreading, sales and lettings admin, diary management, or any other tasks or projects you can think of. By understanding your needs, you’ll be better equipped to find a property VA who possesses the relevant skills and expertise. Research Property Virtual Assistant Companies To get started with your search for the right property VA, you’ll want to conduct thorough research on various VA agencies and providers, as well as consider freelance assistants. Start by searching for reputable VA providers online and asking for recommendations, taking time to read reviews, testimonials, and case studies from their clients. Look for companies that have a strong track record in the property industry, positive feedback, and a demonstrated ability to deliver exceptional service. You might also want to check that they are insured and ICO registered. Evaluate Experience and Skills When choosing a property Virtual Assistant, their experience and skills are paramount. Look for property VAs who have expertise in your specific industry or the tasks you require assistance with. Consider their years of experience in the property industry, areas of specialisation, and any relevant certifications or qualifications (such as TPO). A property VA or remote property specialist with industry experience will already have a good understanding of the jargon, challenges, and requirements specific to your field. This is crucial in the property industry, where there are legislation requirements, compliance, and lots of industry-specific jargon. Determine Availability and Communication Another crucial aspect to consider is the VA’s availability and communication methods. Assess their working hours and determine whether they align with your schedule. It’s important to find a property assistant, or property specialist, who can be readily available during the times when you require their support. Additionally, establish how they usually communicate with clients, whether it’s through email, phone calls, or project management tools. Clear and effective communication is most certainly key to a successful working relationship. Remember, establishing communication preference should form part fo the onboarding process, and your VA should guide you through how to onboard them successfully, particularly if you don’t already have your own process. Assess Reliability and Professionalism You’ll want a VA you can be proud to call a member of your team. So, reliability and professionalism are non-negotiable when it comes to choosing the right property VA for you. Whether they’ll be customer facing or not, you’ll want them to be an extension of your brand and represent your business in a good light. Don’t be afraid to ask for client references or testimonials to get a sense of their reliability and work ethic. A reputable VA, or VA provider, will be happy to share references and examples of work, to demonstrate their quality standards and reliability. Assess the Pricing Structure Pricing is of course an important factor to consider when choosing an outsourcing provider. If the VA or VA provider does not clearly list their prices on their website, make sure you get an understanding of their pricing structure following your initial discovery call. You of course need to make sure that it aligns with your budget, but do be mindful that lower rates will generally get you generalist support, and higher rates will buy you specialist support from a remote professional who offers a wealth of experience in your field. It’s therefore important to consider the value for money by weighing the quality of service and industry knowledge against the cost. Choosing the right property VA is a decision that can have a substantial impact on your productivity and work-life balance. We hope that this article gives you some insight into how to find the right property VA who aligns with your needs, possesses the right skills, and ultimately, is the right fit for you. If you found this article useful, you might also enjoy reading about the differences between a Virtual Assistant and a Remote Specialist.

Virtual Assistant or Remote Specialist: What’s The Difference?

By TVAC / July 6, 2023 July 6, 2023 / 1 Comment / Outsourcing

In today’s interconnected world, remote work has become increasingly prevalent, revolutionising the way businesses operate. As more and more businesses embrace the flexibility and efficiency of virtual collaborations, the need for remote support has grown. However, when it comes to selecting the right remote support for you, it’s essential to understand the various options available. Do you need a Virtual Assistant or Remote Specialist? In this insight article, we’ll help you to navigate the virtual workforce, exploring each of the roles, the differences between them, and the distinct advantages they bring to the table. The Virtual Assistant: The Swiss Army Knife of the Virtual Workforce A Virtual Assistant serves as a versatile remote support system, capable of handling various administrative and other general tasks. Unlike traditional in-person assistants who work physically in the same location, Virtual Assistants work from their own location using various communication tools and technology. They can provide a wide range of services depending on their skills and the needs of their clients. Let’s take a look at some of the skills and characteristics that are typical of a Virtual Assistant. Versatility and General Support Virtual Assistants excel in handling routine administrative duties, managing schedules, organising files and emails, conducting research, and offering customer support. They are adaptable and can handle diverse responsibilities efficiently. Communication and Coordination Virtual Assistants possess strong communication skills, allowing them to interact effectively with clients, customers, and team members. They facilitate seamless coordination, ensuring smooth workflows and effective collaboration. Broad Skill Set While not all Virtual Assistants possess specialised expertise, they are proficient in multitasking and can quickly adapt to changing priorities. They bring a wide range of skills that can be applied across different projects and requirements and still bring a fresh perspective to a business and its team. The Remote Specialist: The Domain Expert Remote Specialists are highly-skilled professionals and are experts in their specific domain. As opposed to a general assistant, a Remote Specialist is an expert within a specific field or domain, providing specialised knowledge and insights. They will often specialise in a particular industry or set of skills. The right Remote Specialist can offer a wealth of skills and expertise and can also consult with businesses in their specific zone of genius, sharing their insights and suggestions. Let’s explore the key characteristics that define a Remote Specialist. Deep Domain Expertise Remote Specialists are highly-skilled professionals who possess specialised knowledge and skills in a particular area. They bring an in-depth understanding of industry-specific nuances and possess the expertise required to tackle complex challenges. Specialised Insights and Analysis When faced with intricate problems or complex tasks, a remote specialist offers valuable insights and analytical skills. They can provide detailed recommendations, tailored solutions, and industry-specific perspectives. Proficiency in Niche Skills Remote specialists are well-versed in niche skills that are essential within their domain. Whether it’s data analysis, graphic design, software development, or marketing strategy, their focused expertise ensures high-quality deliverables. Choosing the right fit To determine whether you need a Virtual Assistant or a Remote Specialist, consider the following factors. Task Complexity Evaluate the complexity of the tasks you need assistance with. If they involve routine administrative duties or general support, a remote assistant is a suitable choice. However, if the tasks demand specialised knowledge or industry-specific expertise, a Remote Specialist is preferable. Project Scope and Duration Consider the scope and duration of your projects. Remote Specialists are ideal for short-term, specialised projects where their expertise can drive optimal outcomes. Virtual Assistants are well-suited for ongoing, day-to-day support and managing various responsibilities. Budget Considerations Reflect on your budgetary constraints. Remote Specialists with specialised skills often command higher rates due to their experience and expertise. If your budget allows, investing in a Remote Specialist can provide a significant return on investment. However, if budget limitations exist, a Virtual Assistant offers cost-effective general support. Both Virtual Assistants and Remote Specialists play crucial roles in virtual work environments, each offering unique advantages. Virtual Assistants bring versatility, adaptability, and general support to handle a wide range of tasks, ensuring smooth operations. On the other hand, Remote Specialists provide deep domain expertise, specialised insights, and tailored solutions to complex challenges within their respective fields. By understanding the distinctions between these two roles and aligning them with your specific needs, you can harness the power of outsourcing to optimise productivity, efficiency, systemisation, marketing, growth and overall success. If you enjoyed reading this insight article, you might also enjoy reading about how a Virtual Assistant can help you, or how to delegate. Are you wearing too many hats or spinning too many plates? Book a free 1:1 call with an outsourcing specialist and learn more about how outsourcing could help you.

Brand and Website Overhaul for Human Catalyst

By TVAC / July 3, 2023 March 29, 2025 / Leave a Comment / Case Studies

We helped Caroline Dove create a brand identity that communicates the incredible work she does guiding leaders to bring their uniqueness to life in an inclusive way. Meet Caroline Meet Caroline Dove, a leadership coach with a wealth of experience supporting professional leaders who face neurodiversity. Caroline is the Founder of Human Catalyst, a brand we helped her to create. visit human catalyst > Introducing Human Catalyst Caroline Dove facilitates leadership and coaching for complex organisations and individuals. She is passionate about person-centered coaching to improve clarity and support people through the challenges of thriving and having an impact. She has had over 30 years working in or with complex, large organisations spanning investment banking, the health sector, FMGC, and many other work environments, and knows the volatile, complex nature of work extremely well. She wanted a new brand and website that reflects her work coaching and consulting with leaders in organisations of all shapes and sizes, and her strong interest in supporting neurodiverse professionals and leaders. The challenge Caroline initially approached us for help with a new logo and website, as well as getting to grips with social media. Her old logo was outdated and one-dimensional, and Caroline wanted a logo that communicates the coaching she does with neurodiverse leaders and other corporate professionals. Her website also needed a refresh. It was difficult to navigate and tricky to manage in the back end. Caroline wanted a brand-new website that would entice visitors and communicate to them what she does. The solution We designed a new logo, which conveys the work she does with professional leaders who face neurodiversity. We developed a set of brand guidelines including a new colour palette and font combinations, followed by designing and building a new WordPress website. Cost-effective web hosting In addition to her brand-new website, we also supported Caroline in setting up her new domain name and web hosting, beating the cost of her previous web hosting. Caroline needed advice and support regarding the type of web hosting product that best suited her needs, and so we worked with her to find the best possible hosting and a competitve rate. Lead magnets and Facebook ads We supported Caroline with setting up click funnels, targeted Facebook ads, and the set up of her social media pages, including asset creation. We were also on hand to provide Caroline with remote IT support as and when she needed it, which was particularly helpful when Caroline needed to make the move over to her new email address. The result Caroline now has a brand identity complete with brand guidelines, a brand-new logo and website, and ready-to-use social media assets for her Facebook and LinkedIn pages. Since this project, we have continued to support Caroline with website updates and maintenance, and with marketing support. Logo Design Website Build Social Media Assets Facebook Ads IT Support Click Funnels Digital Marketing Domain & Hosting And more… Bethan is a great addition to a team getting up to speed quickly with the brief. She always has as great eye for how to present websites beautifully and efficiently gets the work done within a reasonable budget. Over the years I have worked with Bethan I have always found her professional and very can do. Highly recommended. CAROLINE DOVEHUMAN CATALYST Ready to work with a Virtual Assistant or Remote Specialist? Book a free discovery call with us so we can learn all about you and your business! Together we’ll decide if we’re a good fit. book a call

Free Marketing Dashboard Template

By TVAC / April 21, 2023 May 2, 2025 / Leave a Comment / Marketing, Tools & Tips

Free Marketing Dashboard template for use with Excel and Google Sheets Track the success of your marketing efforts and view your analytics conveniently in one place with our free marketing dashboard template. Get your free copy Template highlights Use the Marketing Dashboard template in Excel or Google Sheets to track your marketing efforts and view your data conveniently in one place. What is a Marketing Dashboard? A marketing dashboard is a visual representation of a business’s marketing data that provides a real-time overview of the performance of its marketing campaigns, strategies, and initiatives. Marketing dashboards can include a wide range of metrics, such as website traffic, social media engagement, email marketing performance, lead generation, conversion rates, sales revenue, customer acquisition cost, and return on investment (ROI). The TVAC dashboard is specifically designed to be easy to use and beginner-friendly, although, it can be customised to include a wider range of metrics if required. The primary purpose of a marketing dashboard is to help marketing teams, business owners and executives monitor and analyse their marketing efforts, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions to optimise their marketing strategies and improve business outcomes. Our Marketing Dashboard template can be customised to suit your specific needs.

Plymouth-based Business Brings Home Trophy From Global Business Awards

By TVAC / April 13, 2023 April 7, 2023 / Leave a Comment / News

We are delighted to announce that we have been awarded ‘Virtual Assistant Service of the Year’ by Corporate LiveWire in recognition of our dedication to helping business owners to grow, thrive and succeed. The award recognises the pinnacle of business achievement, championing the best in their respective fields. “We are absolutely delighted to be recognised for the work we do, especially on a global scale.” says Bethan Trueman, Co-Founder and Director at The Virtual Assistant Company. “We invest so much into the growth of other businesses, so to have some recognition of our own is incredibly humbling.” “As one of the judges, it has been inspiring to discover the passion dedication and enthusiasm with which our winners have approached their work. It has also been particularly heart-warming to learn about the positive impact they have had on their clients,” says James Drakeford, Editor in Chief at Corporate LiveWire. Based in Britain’s Ocean City, we are on a mission to empower businesses with the support they need to grow, thrive and succeed. Directors, Jonathan and Bethan Trueman, are particularly passionate about supporting Plymouth-based businesses and contributing towards the growth of the local economy. Together with their small team, they have supported some of Plymouth’s cafes, restaurants and other businesses local to the city. According to Corporate LiveWire, over 90,000 nominations for companies and individuals were made based on factors such as service, innovation, experience, sustainability and other key criteria, during the awards process. Find out more about what we do and the support we offer.

Surviving Christmas As A Small Business Owner

By TVAC / December 1, 2022 December 1, 2022 / Leave a Comment / Tools & Tips

For small business owners and freelancers, the Christmas period might be a daunting time, especially if you’re not quite established. For some business owners, December can be a tricky month, with many finding that business is much quieter than usual. If this sounds like you, here are things that might help you get through the festive season. Use the extra time to work ON your business. Start ticking off those things you’ve spent the year putting off. Make the most of being your own boss. Visit the Christmas markets, go to parties, spend time with family and friends, or take a trip away. Schedule your holiday hours. Let your clients know what your working hours will be over the festive period, and make sure you stick to it! As a business owner, do you find the festive season daunting or exciting?

TEG Virtual is now The Virtual Assistant Company

By TVAC / November 7, 2022 November 7, 2022 / Leave a Comment / News

TEG Virtual is now The Virtual Assistant Company! What started as a VA business offering design and marketing services in 2015, has evolved over the years and we felt that a name change was in order to reflect what the company has become. Thank you to all of our clients, past and present. We wouldn’t have made it this far without your support. What you need to know We are now officially called The Virtual Assistant Company and our website and email addresses have been updated to reflect this. Please use these going forward: hello@tvacgroup.comwww.thevirtualassistantco.com Our social media links have also changed to reflect the new business name. You will notice our company logo name and logo gradually being rolled out across our invoicing system and various platforms. If you have any questions or concerns, please get in touch with us and we’ll be happy to help. Why we’re here Jonathan started this business because he understood that in order to grow a business, you can’t do it alone. He also experienced first-hand the struggle of trying to build a business as a dyslexic, and quickly recognised the value of a great assistant. 2019 and beyond Jonathan had initially formed the business in 2015 offering design and marketing services as well as support with tech tasks. Bethan joined the business in late 2015, bringing her administrative, PA and event management experience. Realising that all these things (and more) could be done virtually, they combined their experience to provide fundamental help for businesses and busy entrepreneurs, whilst offering a flexible and rewarding way of working. More about our story here. The new logo The new logo is more fresh, crisp and clean, and says it on the tin. Once again, thank you to all of our clients, past and present, for supporting us in what we do. Please use our new email addresses going forward, and as always, reach out if you need anything!

Welcome to SuperPuzzle - the puzzle magazine that makes it fun to share in thousands of prizes every month! In this issue, you'll find some food-themed questions and puzzles, which have got us thinking about Italian food! Did you know, in Italian cooking, garlic isn't used nearly half as much as some might think. When it comes to authentic Italian cuisine, less is more, and recipes are based on fresh, flavourful ingredients. You might be surprised to read that spaghetti and meatballs isn't an Italian dish either! In fact, meat-topped pasta dishes aren't that common. Neither is rice, for that matter, but it might help you to answer one of the trivia questions on page 3! Are you ready to play? All SuperPuzzle competitions are free to enter, and you could win cash, holidays, supermarket vouchers and much more!

Let Go Of Control And Grow Your Business

By TVAC / September 30, 2022 September 27, 2022 / 1 Comment / Outsourcing

Are you struggling to delegate? Do you find it hard to let go of control because you like everything to be perfect and worry that someone else might not be able to get it quite right? You’re not alone! Many business owners face these issues. But by not letting go, you’re restricting how much your business can move forward. We get it. Your business is your baby, and it can be hard trusting someone else with it, especially after working so hard to build it up to where it is today. But it doesn’t have to be hard. And you’re not the only one who has to do your job. It’s time to buy yourself some time back, free up time and headspace, and focus on the more important aspects of your business instead of juggling absolutely everything yourself. Put your trust in an experienced Virtual Assistant who’s as invested in your business as you are. A great Virtual Assistant has the business acumen and experience to understand what it takes to run a business. Your VA should have an exceptional work ethic and be dedicated to helping you succeed. If you need help finding your ideal assistant, reach out today!

TEG Virtual Win At The Global Business Awards 2022

By TVAC / September 27, 2022 September 27, 2022 / Leave a Comment / News

We are absolutely thrilled to announce that we’ve won ‘Most Dedicated Remote Business Support Provider’ at the 2022 Global Business Awards, hosted by Corporate Vision. The work we do is incredibly rewarding – supporting other business owners to grow, thrive and succeed is our mission. We take pride in our standards of work so winning this award means a great deal to us. We believe that work ethic is something that cannot be taught (and that is one of our superpowers!). A huge thank you to each and every one of our clients, and to everyone supporting our business.

Master Email Management With These Email Management Strategies

Master Email Management With These Strategies

By TVAC / July 27, 2022 July 27, 2022 / Leave a Comment / Tools & Tips

As a team of busy Virtual Assistants, we’ve witnessed first-hand the struggle of mass incoming communication flows, with busy business owners becoming overwhelmed and unable to keep up with enquiries. But the truth is, unanswered enquiries and slow response times result in a lack of faith in the business and potential customers reluctant to buy. As overwhelming as it might seem, you need to take control. Whether you manage these communications yourself or choose to outsource, it’s time to get on top of the emails, texts, chats and DMs flooding your inboxes. With that said, here are some examples of effective communication management strategies you should be using. Delete promotional messages. As a business owner, you might find yourself being inundated with unwanted cold outreach emails. Unless these have been sent via a platform such as MailChimp or Mailerlite and there is an option to unsubscribe, your only option to deal with this type of unwanted email is to keep deleting them. Alternatively, you could contact the sender and request that they stop, but either way, delete them and don’t let them clog up your inbox!Unsubscribe from unwanted newsletters. Psst! We see you… religiously deleting all those unwanted spam emails each day (that you probably never even subscribed to, right?). This has probably become such an autonomous habit that you’re barely aware of how much time it is actually. But instead of taking the time to delete these unwanted emails every day, start unsubscribing to each one of them and you’ll soon find that your inbox becomes less and less cluttered. Use labels to organise your emails. Labels can be a great way to organise your inbox into sections. For example, you could assign labels to each of your team members, or to group together emails that are relevant to a specific task or project. Make use of email folders. Email folders can be used in a similar way to labels. They can be a fantastic tool for organising your inbox and managing your communication flows, but not everyone makes use of them or even knows about them. Use automatic email responses. This can be a particularly useful tool if you have several different email addresses within your business that are used for different things. You can set up various automatic email responses so that when someone emails a specific email address at your firm, they receive an email containing helpful information that informs them about your processes and when they can expect a response, for example.Adopt a good flagging system. Make use of the flagging tool. Flag emails that haven’t been responded to, and unflag them once they have been dealt with. There are various ways you can make use of this email management tool – it’s there for a reason – just use it in such a way that works for you and your business. Make your response time clear (the sooner the better). As a business it’s a great idea to make your response time clear wherever possible, so that prospective customers and people contacting you know when to expect a reply. This can avoid them contacting you again to chase up their enquiry, which can be particularly helpful during busy periods. Display your response times wherever you think is most appropriate for your business – on your website, in your email signature, on your social channels, and wherever your contact details are displayed. Establish a set time each day to read and reply to emails. If you’re struggling to stay on top of email management or find that you can easily go down an email rabbit hole once you start, then set yourself times of the day where you check and respond to emails. For example, check your emails at 10:00 am and 02:00 pm each working day, or whatever works best for your business. Make use of mobile email apps for on-the-go email management. If your job or business involves you being out of the office throughout the day, set up a mobile email app to help you keep tabs on priority emails as soon as they come in, and manage emails on the go. Make the most of your email signature. Make the most of your email signature by setting up your sign-off and name. Quit typing your email sign-off for every single email. Set up your email signature so that your sign-off is included in it… those precious seconds quickly add up! Create and share email templates with your team. Creating email templates for your most commonly asked queries can be a huge time saver, and also particularly helpful if you have a team or a Virtual Assistant helping you with your email management. Invest some time in writing up some email template for you and your team to use, and save time in the long run! Templates can help to give quick and easy responses to commonly-asked queries. If you need a hand with managing your emails or other communication flows, get in touch or book a free discovery call.

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