Could you do more while still managing your costs and, at the same time, grow your business to take it to the next level? If you outsource your sales process by hiring a virtual sales assistant, you could indeed!
What is a virtual sales assistant?
Virtual sales assistants are people who 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 key requirement is having access to good internet. It is suggested that businesses in the English-speaking world select virtual assistants that are native-English speakers − this will enhance your customer service experience. Virtual assistants are more cost-effective than onsite salespersons. The business that outsources does not pay any of the typical costs such as pensions, benefits, and taxes. And 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 to boost productivity in the workplace.
Why should you hire a virtual sales assistant?
To forge ahead in a competitive market, you need to outsmart the competition; hence many companies turn to outsourcing. What outsourcing as a staffing solution offers is that the time-consuming work can be completed by remote workers at a fraction of the costs compared with the cost of 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; and communicating with potential clients. As such, 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 your time with admin work instead of spending time on more important work, you will impede your business growth, and your profits will be lower. If you spend your time wisely, you 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 great lifestyle. As such, 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 if you delegate repetitive tasks, you can save 20% of your time. That gives you 20% more time to spend on your core work (or to take more time with your family).
Flexible working hours
A remote assistant can work around your time 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. However, having a virtual assistant to help with these repetitive tasks means that you will find more time to do your own work. This means that you can grow your business more rapidly.
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 means of holding a laser focus on the target market. More so, even though your in-house team is able to 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 conduct research for new prospects on social media channels such as Facebook groups or on LinkedIn. Additionally, a remote assistant can do the cold calling and schedule any meetings. However, it is not only about new contacts – a remote assistant can get in touch with the old leads or clients that have gone silent, renewing the interest of these clients.
Increase conversion rate to help grow your business
You need to follow up with leads in a timely manner. This involves a plan of action, being organized, and working systematically. Moreover, each of the new leads that have been contacted should be treated as special 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; however, 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 the mind of the clients. Moreover, the virtual assistant can help to enhance the quality of customer service. If you offer great service, you will retain clients, gain more clients, and make more profit. 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 therefore hire them for the length of the project and then simply offboard them. This will keep your business processes agile. You can also use virtual assistants to fill gaps that your onsite employees can’t handle. You will then never drop the ball, especially if you are doing contract work. At such a sensitive time, you might lose your contract if your team is not able to do the work. But more than adding flexibility, a virtual assistant can offer you certain much-needed skills.
Decrease business overheads
As mentioned before, the greatest benefit of hiring a virtual assistant is the cost savings. You will save on office rent, equipment, stationery, and much more. The savings can then be used to invest in new technology and other means by which to scale your business more rapidly. 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 – by it Thailand or Brazil. There you can enjoy a relaxed lifestyle, more sun, and great cost savings while achieving your work remotely. It is advisable to use an outsourcing company to source great talent for your business. You will only waste money if you try to hire your own virtual assistant. Hiring remote assistants requires a specialist understanding of people and how to manage them.
Take care of yourself
Besides being able to hire great talent, you can also improve the quality of your own life by enhancing your work-life balance. You will thus avoid burnout – this applies to yourself and to your staff. If you are running a small business, especially, you can’t afford to have people off sick or, worse, wanting to resign. Good staff members generally will not complain − they will simply leave. As such, avoid exhaustion while still enhancing productivity by hiring a virtual assistant. You can delegate the time-consuming tasks to them – they are trained to deal with such tasks. 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 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 really good talent. This is a talent that you would not have been able to hire or afford locally. Accessing an international staffing pool means gaining a multicultural perspective which can be useful, especially if your clients are international. Virtual assistants are also able to speak different languages, which can help them when they 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.