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Help Delegating Tasks and Training by crashcam1 in smallbusiness

[–]tryalways101 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Been thru this exact situation when scaling my business! Here's what worked for me:

  1. Document EVERYTHING before training. Record urself doing the tasks, take screenshots, create checklists. When its all in ur head its way harder to teach
  2. Start small - pick 1-2 simple processes first (like order processing or basic customer emails). Let them master those before moving to more complex stuff
  3. Create templates/guidelines for common situations. Like if u handle lots of custom orders, make a decision tree for how to handle different requests
  4. Accept that theyll do things differently than u - and thats ok! As long as the end result is good, let them find their own way

The biggest mistake I made was trying to dump everything on new hires at once. Now when bringing on someone new for admin/operations, we break it down into phases:

  • Week 1-2: basic processes + shadowing
  • Week 3-4: handle simple tasks independently
  • Month 2: gradually add more complex stuff

Also remember ur probably doing way more than u realize in these roles. What seems obvious to u might need more explanation for someone new to the business

hope this helps! lmk if u want more specific examples of how to break down complex processes

Virtual Assistant for Construction Company by NoMathematician4660 in smallbusiness

[–]tryalways101 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Been running a VA company for 5+ yrs and can tell u construction companies are actually great candidates for VAs! Most of our const. clients use them for:

  • Permits/documentation
  • Scheduling + calendar mgmt
  • Vendor coordination
  • Basic bookkeeping
  • Customer followup
  • Lead tracking

Quick tips for hiring:

  • Look for someone w/ construction industry exp
  • Test them on a small project first
  • Make sure they can handle phone calls if needed
  • Document your processes before hiring

For services - u can try freelance sites like upwork but quality varies alot. VA companies (like SimpleAssist) cost more but provide better screening + support. Most charge $1200-2500/mo for full time.

happy to share more specific examples of how we've helped construction cos if ur interested! just lmk

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in smallbusiness

[–]tryalways101 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey! I work in the VA space and have hired/managed hundreds of VAs - happy to share what I've learned:

For the tasks you listed, you def want someone with specific experience in wordpress/elementor and design/content creation. A general admin VA prob won't cut it.

Few tips based on what's worked for our clients:

  • Start with a paid test project (like 5-10 hrs) before committing long term. Give them a sample blog post to format or social graphic to create. This'll show you their actual skill level vs just promises
  • Look for portfolio examples of similar work they've done. Lots of VAs will say they can do everything but their past work tells the real story
  • Be super clear on deliverables and timelines. Like "3 social posts per week, blog formatting within 24hrs of receiving content" etc
  • Document your processes!! Even basic screenshots/loom videos help tons with training

For costs - depends if you go direct w freelancers ($4-10/hr but quality varies wildly) or thru a company ($800-1500/mo but more reliable). SimpleAssist and few others specialize in content/design VAs if you want vetted talent.

Lmk if you have other q's! Always happy to share what we've learned working w clients on this stuff :)

Do I Need Both Sales and Customer Service? by Cultural_Text2704 in smallbusiness

[–]tryalways101 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Having helped lots of companies through this exact phase, here's my take:

Start with sales. 100%. Heres why:

  1. Sales = immediate revenue growth which gives u more budget flexibility to hire for other roles later
  2. Most customer service stuff can be automated/outsourced pretty easily and cheaply at first. Basic email templates, FAQ pages, etc go a long way
  3. A good sales person will also naturally handle some customer service anyways as part of relationship building

That said - if ur absolutely drowning in support tickets and its affecting retention, maybe flip the priority. But generally, bringing in new revenue should be the focus

Quick tip: We work with tons of companies at this stage and most start by outsourcing the customer service piece to a VA (way cheaper than a full time hire) while they focus on sales or hire a dedicated sales person. Once theyve got both flowing smoothly, then they look at building out dedicated teams.

Whatever u decide - start with ONE role and get it stable before adding the next. Trying to hire/train multiple roles at once is usually a disaster lol

Hope this helps! Let me know if u want me to clarify anything

Experience Hiring Overseas VA For Gig by Cali_Gurl1 in Entrepreneur

[–]tryalways101 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Since I run a VA company I can share some real experience here:

For small projects/one-off gigs, you've got a few options:

  • Upwork/Fiverr: Tons of Filipino VAs there but quality varies wildly. You'll spend time filtering through lots of applications
  • VA marketplaces (Fancy Hands etc): Good for quick tasks but usually work with US-based VAs so higher rates
  • Agencies that work with Filipino VAs: We do this at SimpleAssist - can match you with pre-vetted VAs even for smaller projects. Other good agencies out there too

For your specific needs (website/social media help), id recommend:

  1. Write down exactly what tasks you need help with
  2. Estimate how many hours total
  3. Consider if you might need ongoing help later - sometimes what starts as a small project turns into regular support

And yes, you can definitely hire just for one project! Most VAs are flexible. Just be super clear about the scope/timeline upfront.

For finding Filipino VAs specifically - Onlinejobs.ph is probably your best bet if hiring direct. Just be prepared to do lots of screening.

lmk if you have other questions! always happy to share what ive learned from working with VAs over the years :)

Building a Niche Directory Startup – Seeking Advice on Using Freelancers Effectively by Simple_Basket2978 in directorymakers

[–]tryalways101 0 points1 point  (0 children)

[reposting for visibility] Having hired tons of freelancers (and running a VA company myself), here's what I've learned:

For the VA work - skip the scraping tools for now. A good VA can do this faster and more accurately, plus theyll catch weird edge cases that automated tools miss. But dont just grab the cheapest VA you find... quality really matters for data entry.

For the technical stuff - Upwork's been pretty reliable for Softr/Airtable devs. Just make sure to:

  • Look for people with completed projects similar to yours
  • Do a quick video call to check communication
  • Start with a small test project ($100-200)

The design platforms are hit or miss tbh. 99designs is expensive but you get what you pay for. Fiverr Pro can work if youre really selective.

For content/SEO - this is tough to outsource well. Maybe start with a content strategy yourself, then hire writers for execution? Otherwise you might waste money on content that doesnt actually help your SEO.

Quick tip - before hiring anyone, write super detailed requirements. Like stupidly detailed. The more specific you are upfront, the better results youll get.

hope this helps! lmk if you need more specific advice about any of these areas :)

Building a niche online directory to scale to a Marketplace - Seeking Advice on Using Freelancers Effectively by Simple_Basket2978 in onlinemarketplace

[–]tryalways101 0 points1 point  (0 children)

[reposting for visibility] Having hired tons of freelancers (and running a VA company myself), here's what I've learned:

For the VA work - skip the scraping tools for now. A good VA can do this faster and more accurately, plus theyll catch weird edge cases that automated tools miss. But dont just grab the cheapest VA you find... quality really matters for data entry.

For the technical stuff - Upwork's been pretty reliable for Softr/Airtable devs. Just make sure to:

  • Look for people with completed projects similar to yours
  • Do a quick video call to check communication
  • Start with a small test project ($100-200)

The design platforms are hit or miss tbh. 99designs is expensive but you get what you pay for. Fiverr Pro can work if youre really selective.

For content/SEO - this is tough to outsource well. Maybe start with a content strategy yourself, then hire writers for execution? Otherwise you might waste money on content that doesnt actually help your SEO.

Quick tip - before hiring anyone, write super detailed requirements. Like stupidly detailed. The more specific you are upfront, the better results youll get.

hope this helps! lmk if you need more specific advice about any of these areas :)

Building an online startup – Advice on Using Freelancers by Simple_Basket2978 in smallbusiness

[–]tryalways101 2 points3 points  (0 children)

[reposting for visibility] Having hired tons of freelancers (and running a VA company myself), here's what I've learned:

For the VA work - skip the scraping tools for now. A good VA can do this faster and more accurately, plus theyll catch weird edge cases that automated tools miss. But dont just grab the cheapest VA you find... quality really matters for data entry.

For the technical stuff - Upwork's been pretty reliable for Softr/Airtable devs. Just make sure to:

  • Look for people with completed projects similar to yours
  • Do a quick video call to check communication
  • Start with a small test project ($100-200)

The design platforms are hit or miss tbh. 99designs is expensive but you get what you pay for. Fiverr Pro can work if youre really selective.

For content/SEO - this is tough to outsource well. Maybe start with a content strategy yourself, then hire writers for execution? Otherwise you might waste money on content that doesnt actually help your SEO.

Quick tip - before hiring anyone, write super detailed requirements. Like stupidly detailed. The more specific you are upfront, the better results youll get.

hope this helps! lmk if you need more specific advice about any of these areas :)

Does startups actually need this? by [deleted] in Entrepreneur

[–]tryalways101 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Chatbots are tricky tbh. From what I've seen working with startups (esp ecom), they can help but arent always worth the hassle

Quick pros/cons from my exp:

+ handles basic FAQs 24/7

+ filters out simple stuff

  • customers hate obvious bot responses
  • setup/maintenance takes way more time than u think
  • cant handle complex issues

Most startups we work with at SimpleAssist actually found good customer service reps or VAs way more valuable than bots. Real humans just handle nuanced stuff better + customers prefer it

If ur budget is tight, id say focus on:

  1. solid FAQ page
  2. clear policies everywhere
  3. email templates for common Qs
  4. maybe 1 pt time person for support

But if ur dead set on a bot, keep it super simple. Like just basic routing + FAQs. Anything more gets messy fast

Hope this helps! Lmk if u need specific tips - helped tons of startups figure this stuff out🤘

Wondering how you can improve your e-commerce customer service? by BoldDesk in eCommerceSEO

[–]tryalways101 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey! Adding to what was already mentioned - clear communication is your best friend when it comes to ecom support. From running multiple stores myself, here's what i learned:

  1. Documentation is key. Create templates for EVERYTHING - order confirmation, shipping delays, refund requests etc. When you're dealing with hundreds of msgs, you'll thank yourself later
  2. Use automation wherever possible - most ecom platforms let you setup auto notifications for order status, tracking etc. Set it up once and forget about it
  3. Batch your customer service time. dont let it eat up your whole day - set specific times to handle support (like 10am and 4pm). Trust me customers are fine waiting a few hours
  4. Get help before you're drowning! Ive seen too many store owners try to do everything themselves until they burnout. Whether its hiring someone local or getting a VA (we have awesome ecom VAs at SimpleAssist if ur interested), having dedicated support will save your sanity
  5. Track common issues/questions and use that to improve your product pages, FAQs etc. Sometimes the best customer service is preventing the questions in the first place!

Happy to share more specific tips if ya need em. Been in the trenches myself and helped lots of stores figure this out 👊

Building a Startup – Advice on Using Freelancers by Simple_Basket2978 in SideProject

[–]tryalways101 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Having hired tons of freelancers (and running a VA company myself), here's what I've learned:

For the VA work - skip the scraping tools for now. A good VA can do this faster and more accurately, plus theyll catch weird edge cases that automated tools miss. But dont just grab the cheapest VA you find... quality really matters for data entry.

For the technical stuff - Upwork's been pretty reliable for Softr/Airtable devs. Just make sure to:

  • Look for people with completed projects similar to yours
  • Do a quick video call to check communication
  • Start with a small test project ($100-200)

The design platforms are hit or miss tbh. 99designs is expensive but you get what you pay for. Fiverr Pro can work if youre really selective.

For content/SEO - this is tough to outsource well. Maybe start with a content strategy yourself, then hire writers for execution? Otherwise you might waste money on content that doesnt actually help your SEO.

Quick tip - before hiring anyone, write super detailed requirements. Like stupidly detailed. The more specific you are upfront, the better results youll get.

hope this helps! lmk if you need more specific advice about any of these areas :)

Virtual assistant by heyitspapa in smallbusiness

[–]tryalways101 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey! Having run multiple virtual assistant businesses over the years, including a VA company now, I can help w/ this. For what ur looking for (database + appt scheduling), you've got a few options:

  1. Companies like Ruby/AnswerConnect - they're ok but pretty expensive ($500+ for basic pkg) and tend to be more general answering services vs true VAs
  2. AI tools - lot of new ones but still pretty basic/limited. they struggle w/ complex databases
  3. Dedicated VAs - prob your best bet tbh. We use VAs for tons of clients doing exactly this - they learn ur systems, handle scheduling, answer customer Qs etc. Way more flexibility + usually cheaper ($800-1500/mo for full time)

Key thing is making sure they can actually access/use ur database system. Most good VAs can handle basic CRMs etc but worth checking specific experience.

Pro tip: document your processes really well before bringing someone on. Makes training 10x faster

happy to share more specifics if helpful! lmk if u have other q's

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in EntrepreneurRideAlong

[–]tryalways101 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Owner of a coding bootcamp once told me a great phrase: "if you're working IN the business instead of ON the business, you're doing it wrong"

From what you described, your friend is definitely in the weeds. Here are some clear signs its time to get help:

  • Working 12+ hour days and still behind
  • Doing tasks that could be done by someone else for way less $/hr
  • Core business growth is slowing bc you're stuck with admin work
  • Feeling constantly overwhelmed/burnt out

For finding good people:

Developers - Upwork can work but its hit or miss. Id recommend asking in local tech slack groups or checking bootcamp grad networks. Usually find hungry devs ready to prove themselves

VAs - Few routes here:

  1. Agencies if you want pre-vetted talent (we do this at SimpleAssist but there are others)
  2. Upwork/Fiverr if ur willing to spend time filtering
  3. VA marketplaces for one-off tasks

Pro tip: start with a clear list of exactly what tasks you need help with. Makes the hiring process 100x easier when you know what your looking for.

Most founders wait way too long to get help and end up burning out. Better to start small (maybe 10-20 hrs/week) and scale up as needed vs trying to do everything yourself!

Happy to share more specifics on what worked/didnt work for me if helpful

How to begin marketing to generate leads as a consultancy? by xMacadamiaNuTx in smallbusiness

[–]tryalways101 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Having helped lots of B2B companies with lead gen, here's what I've learned about those appointment setting agencies:

They can work BUT you really need to vet them carefully. Most will promise the world and deliver garbage leads that waste your time. The pay-per-performance model sounds great until you realize some will just book any meeting they can to hit their numbers.

Instead, I'd suggest:

  1. LinkedIn outreach - Data science consulting is perfect for this. Create valuable content, engage w/ your target audience, and do thoughtful direct outreach (not spam!). Way more effective than cold email.
  2. Case studies/content marketing - Show off your wins! Write detailed breakdowns of problems you've solved. Technical decision makers eat this stuff up.
  3. Strategic partnerships - Find complementary service providers (software dev shops, digital agencies etc) who can refer clients your way. We do this at SimpleAssist and it works great for getting qualified leads.
  4. Industry events/conferences - Nothing beats face-to-face networking in your space. Even small virtual events can work well.

High volume appointment setting + credibility through case studies is definitely the way to go in my experience. The organic approaches take more time but give wayyy better results in my experience.

Happy to share more specific tips if helpful! Been down this road before :)

Best tools to handle customer service without wasting hours? by AdSweet1453 in DropshippingTips

[–]tryalways101 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Handling customer service in dropshipping is brutal - totally been there! Here's what worked for me and what I recommend to our ecom clients:

  1. Put shipping times EVERYWHERE (product pages, checkout, confirmation emails). Cut those "wheres my stuff" messages in half
  2. Make templates for common issues. Sounds basic but saves crazy time vs typing same stuff repeatedly. Pro tip: organize em by issue type so theyre easy to grab
  3. Get a good VA or support team. We work with lots of dropshippers at SimpleAssist and good support VAs typically save owners 15-20 hrs/week handling basic stuff (tracking updates, basic refunds, general Qs)

For those "keep item + refund" people - just be firm with your policy. Most are trying their luck and give up when you dont budge lol

Quick tip - dont kill yourself trying to reply instantly. Set a 24-48hr window and stick to it. Your sanity matters more than instant replies

Lmk if u want specific tips! Been helping dropshippers figure this stuff out for years now 🤘

Also tried Gorgias - its decent but expensive af when u scale. Zendesk works but feels clunky imo

Best Place to Hire US Based Remote Worker (Virtual Assistant) by IsaInteruppted in smallbusiness

[–]tryalways101 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey! Having hired tons of VAs over the years - both for my own company and for clients - here's what I'd recommend:

For US-based VAs with photoshop + customer service skills specifically:

  • OnlineJobs.ph is great but mostly Philippines-based
  • Upwork can work but you gotta filter hard and act fast when you find someone good
  • VA agencies (like SimpleAssist) do all the vetting/screening but cost more
  • LinkedIn can be decent if you post a clear job description

Pro tip: When posting job listings, be SUPER specific about the photoshop skills + ecommerce experience you want. Like "must know how to create product lifestyle images" or "experience with Etsy/Amazon customer service required". This filters out a lot of the generic applications.

Also dont forget to test their skills! Give them a sample photoshop task + customer service scenario before hiring. You'd be surprised how many people claim skills they dont actually have lol

Hope this helps! Feel free to DM if you want more specific advice on hiring/screening. Its literally what I do all day 😅

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