As a travel advisor, you're probably very busy. You have to keep up with the news in order to stay current on all of the changing travel protocols, you have to stay in touch with supplier partners about deals and opportunities available to your client, you have to manage your marketing/social presence, you have to keep track of expenses and commissions, you have to handle customer service requests, and you probably have a lot of clients who need your help booking their next trip!

Now, let's face it: there's only so much time in the day.

One of the best ways to handle everything and manage your time effectively is by hiring a Virtual Assistant (VA). By hiring a VA to help you with your business, you can focus on what matters most: helping your clients plan their dream vacations!

Virtual Assistants can help you save time, increase efficiency, be more productive, and can even help take care of all of those little things that might get lost in the shuffle. Here are some things that every travel advisor should know about using a VA:

You Don't Have To Be A Wizard

Many people think that if their business relies on technology, social media, etc., then they need to be an expert in those areas themselves. Well, that’s not true! Virtual assistants are experts in their field, whether it be technology, sales, customer service, lead generation, social media management, marketing, or administration — you name it, and they can handle virtually any task related to your business! With these experts at your disposal, you have no reason to deal with anything that seems like a waste of your time or may seem too difficult to learn/understand. You should be able to focus on what makes you and your business unique instead of being bogged down with all the little things that take away from your time (and money). Think about it, if you spend 2 hours trying to fix a problem rather than 2 hours selling/booking travel, how much money (and time) did you really lose? Learn to delegate tasks that don’t suit your expertise.

You Don't Have To Hire An Employee

If you've ever had to hire an employee, then you know how much it costs. Everything from payroll to administration, to onboarding, and possibly even HR. If you’re a small business owner who can't afford to hire someone to work for you part-time or full-time, then a VA is definitely something worth considering! Yes, they do charge by the hour (or by the project), but their rates are usually much more flexible depending on the amount of work or hours you need them for a specific task or project compared to hiring a full-time employee. Think of a VA as a contracted worker. They will provide the skill(s) you need to get the job done. Now, this doesn’t mean that they need to have a finite number of hours before they’re done working with you. You can set them on a schedule that works best for your business needs and coordinate with them to build an incredible work environment and culture! They want to see you succeed because it ultimately means more work and job security for them. So, it’s truly a win-win!!

They Can Save You HOURS Of Time

As travel advisors, you have a lot on your plate (and in your inboxes). Between answering client emails, booking trips, and keeping up with social media accounts, it can be hard to find time for anything else — especially if you're running your own business as a solopreneur. A virtual assistant can take some of those tasks off your plate so you have more time to focus on other things. Maybe you want your social media to still have your voice, then create the content for it and let your VA help invoice clients, or build out itineraries, or send follow-up emails and organize your inbox in the meantime. Some VAs are also incredible at content creation, so if social media isn’t your forte, then stop wasting your time!! Work with a VA to curate the social media experience that works for you and your business! They can also help you grow your business by helping you streamline processes and improve productivity. Don’t underestimate their skills or capabilities.

They Usually Have Wide Networks

So what happens when you need help with something that's outside your expertise? You could hire someone else to do it for you, but that means paying more money, teaching them about the project and your brand, and working to train them along the way. Alternatively, you could hire a VA and only pay them for the time they're actually working on a project. The best part is that most VAs are interconnected within their industry and with other friends who might be VAs, so hiring a VA also expands your network for other projects as they arise. When you're working with someone who's an expert in a particular area, it's easier to get things done more quickly and much more efficiently. Let’s be honest, you probably wouldn’t let your CPA cut your hair, so why are you trying to learn accounting if it’s outside of your wheelhouse?!

They Can Help You Increase Your Revenue

VAs can help make your business more successful by:

• Identifying opportunities that you might have missed
• Creating content that helps boost sales
• Managing social media accounts
• Creating and maintaining your website or online presence
• Helping create marketing initiatives
• Handling emails and customer service
• Generating leads
• Building itineraries
• Creating or streamlining your processes

As a business owner, there are many things that you need to focus on. Having someone who can handle the day-to-day tasks of your business can free up your time so you can spend it doing what matters most—growing your business.

My best advice before hiring a Virtual Assistant is to know what you want. Make a list of what you’re looking for and what tasks they can help you with. Keep in mind that while 1 VA might not be able to check ALL of your boxes, the ability to contract with multiple VAs instead of hiring 1 employee with a particular skill set provides more opportunity for you and your business. If you want them to use new technology, try to create an easy-to-follow guide for them if you already know how to use it, or provide them with the resources to learn it themselves. Chances are, even without much direction, they’ll find a way to figure it out! I highly recommend using a task management system (like Trello) to keep track of what projects you’re passing to them to keep you both organized.

Most of all, don’t look at them as an expense to your business because, in reality, they truly could be your best asset!!

There are tons of reasons why you need a Virtual Assistant in your busy career as a travel advisor. As you can see, there are many benefits to working with a Virtual Assistant. If you're looking for someone to help with some of your business's more difficult tasks, consider hiring a Virtual Assistant today!

Do you want to hire a virtual assistant? Fill out this form, and we'll put you in touch with a hiring manager for one or multiple VA staffing agencies.

https://www.cognitoforms.com/TravelAdvisor1/VirtualAssistantVAReferralForm

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