Could you do more while managing your costs and simultaneously growing your business to take it to the next level? If you outsource your sales process by hiring a virtual sales assistant, you could!
What is a virtual sales assistant?
Virtual sales assistants work remotely as consultants doing specific tasks to boost the efficiency of the sales processes. Because these sales consultants work remotely, they can be based anywhere. Their one essential requirement is having access to good internet. It is suggested that businesses in the English-speaking world select virtual assistants who are native-English speakers − this will enhance your customer service experience. Virtual assistants are more cost-effective than onsite salespersons. The outsourced business does not pay typical costs such as pensions, benefits, and taxes.
The business does not need to spend money on the worker’s set-up costs. Moreover, if a remote assistant is onboarded correctly, they can help the onsite staff by taking over the mundane work. The onsite staff can then focus on their core work, which will help boost workplace productivity.
Why should you hire a virtual sales assistant?
To forge ahead in a competitive market, you need to outsmart the competition; hence, many companies outsource. Outsourcing as a staffing solution offers remote workers the ability to complete time-consuming work at a fraction of the costs compared to onsite staff. Sales can also be outsourced.
Businesses can hire a virtual assistant to undertake any of the following roles:
- researching business directories for leads
- handling the CRM software, such as Zoho or Salesforce
- assisting with calls and appointment-setting
- helping to organize and keep the lead database current
- setting reminders for follow-ups
- handling data entry and lead generation
- undertaking the cold calling
- communicating with potential clients.
To illustrate, in 2021, a small e-commerce company was overwhelmed with manual tasks like customer queries, inventory tracking, and order fulfillment. They streamlined these processes by hiring a dedicated virtual assistant specializing in e-commerce support. As a result, the business experienced a 50% increase in sales, allowing the owner to focus on strategic growth initiatives. Moreover, a sales assistant can free up your time by completing the admin tasks. The following are the benefits of hiring a virtual sales assistant:
Amplify your productivity
The productivity benefits
Your time is valuable. If you waste it on admin work instead of more critical work, you will impede your business’s growth and lower your profits. If you spend your time wisely, you will maximize your opportunity to grow and earn more.
After all, the goal of most entrepreneurs is to become independent (and grow their business)− ideally, to stop working while earning more than enough to live a lavish lifestyle. Hiring a virtual assistant to complete your sales tasks can help you to boost your productivity. Let’s explore the benefits a bit more.
Save time
A Harvard Business Review research study concluded that delegating repetitive tasks can save 20% of your time. That’s 20% more time to spend on your core work (or to spend more time with your family).
Flexible working hours
A remote assistant can work around your schedule. Most such assistants will be located in other time zones. This could mean that they can prepare the work for you and plan your day ahead of time. Once work time starts for you and your team, the work will be ready. You can all then proceed without delay. Such time savings can boost your productivity.
You can focus on core business.
Admin work is a necessary evil. However, if you are creative, performing admin tasks is not high on your list of priorities. Having a virtual assistant to help with these repetitive tasks will give you more time to do your work so you can rapidly grow your business.
Example
A real estate investor faced challenges in managing follow-ups and client communications. By hiring a virtual assistant to handle these tasks, they saw engagement rates climb and closed two additional deals within 60 days. The virtual assistant’s support directly impacted the investor’s acquisition efficiency and revenue.
Outsource your sales activities.
A virtual sales assistant will convert leads into sales to help grow your business. Such a person can do this by focusing on the target market. Even though your in-house team can generate leads, the leads must still be converted. This process is time-consuming and must be systematically achieved. The virtual assistant can also update your CRM tools. Keeping all the information updated means that your team will have access to the relevant information. Assistants can thus complete the data-entry tasks. A virtual assistant can also research new prospects on social media like Facebook groups or LinkedIn.
Additionally, a remote assistant can make cold calls and schedule meetings. However, it is not only about new contacts—a remote assistant can contact old leads or clients that have gone silent, renewing their interest.
Increase conversion rate to help grow your business.
You need to follow up with leads promptly. This involves a plan of action, being organized, and working systematically. Moreover, each new lead contacted should be treated as unique and valued. There must be a constant tending to all leads over the length of the lead-generation project. This will also involve nurturing the leads. A new lead will not simply convert; a remote assistant can undertake this laborious process. A remote assistant will use lead-nurturing tools to complete this task and keep your brand in clients’ minds.
Moreover, virtual assistants can help enhance customer service quality. If you offer excellent service, you will retain clients, gain more clients, and profit more. In turn, this will lead to word-of-mouth recommendations.
Scale your company
A great benefit of hiring a virtual assistant is that such a person can work on projects. You can hire them for the length of the project and then offboard them. This will keep your business processes agile. You can also use virtual assistants to fill gaps your onsite employees can’t handle. You will never drop the ball, especially when doing contract work. You might lose your contract if your team cannot do the job at such a sensitive time. But more than adding flexibility, a virtual assistant can offer you specific, much-needed skills.
Decrease business overheads
As mentioned, the most significant benefit of hiring a virtual assistant is the cost savings. You will save on office rent, equipment, stationery, etc. The savings can then be used to invest in new technology and other ways to rapidly scale your business. Also, since your sales team will be working remotely, you, too, can work remotely. You can even consider relocating to a part of the world where you would like to live – Thailand or Brazil. You can enjoy a relaxed lifestyle, more sun, and significant cost savings while working remotely there. Using an outsourcing company to source great talent for your business is advisable. You will only waste money if you try to hire your virtual assistant. Hiring remote assistants requires a specialist understanding of people and how to manage them.
Take care of yourself.
Besides hiring great talent, you can also improve the quality of your life by enhancing your work-life balance. Thus, you will avoid burnout, which applies to you and your staff. If you run a small business, you can’t afford to have people off sick or want to resign. Good staff members generally will not complain − they will leave. Avoid exhaustion while still enhancing productivity by hiring a virtual assistant. You can delegate the time-consuming tasks to them – they are trained to handle them. As you reduce your stress levels, you can reinvest your new-found energy into the business, which will help you to grow it. You will find that you make better decisions, and your mind will not be cluttered with anxiety and stress.
Access great people
One of the benefits of hiring virtual assistants is that you can gain access to outstanding talent. You would not have been able to hire or afford this talent locally. Accessing an international staffing pool means gaining a multicultural perspective, which can be helpful, especially if your clients are global. Virtual assistants can also speak different languages, which can help them conduct their sales tasks and interact with clients.
Your next step to grow your business
When you are ready to hire a virtual sales assistant to boost your sales, make sure that you contact Aristo Sourcing, which, since 2014, has been helping to boost businesses. We suggest that you book a complimentary discovery call with our outsourcing expert. Let our outsourcing expert guide you through the process. Remember that with Aristo Sourcing, you are not alone – you will always have steady support to help you along your journey. Call us, and let us help you to grow a solid sales team.