I arrived here as a result of downloading your Traffic Guide.

I found your articles about article writing and Virtual Assistants/Outsourcing very interesting.

I have been a Virtual Assistant for 10 years now offering services like typing, wordprocessing and desktop publishing as well as article writing/re-writing to numerous happy clients.

One point that people sometimes forget is that many virtual writing services offered cheaply is because these people do not have the necessary skills in language and grammar and so cannot fulfil their obligations to people hiring them.

A good writer/designer would go just that extra mile to find out more about what the person needs and then he/she can deliver good service and build up a trustworthy relationship.

Being a member of Virtual Assistant Forums also goes a long way in keeping up to date with new developments in the field as well as keeping up to date with new technology.

I love the challenge of providing good service to my customers and it comes through in my work.

Regards

Elsie van Rooyen

Dynamic Virtual Assistant Services

+27735883596

South Africa

So, to all that you've said, and because you've said that you don't work with VAs, but writers, I'd like to add (to make sure YOUR readers know) that while all Virtual Assistants are virtual professionals, not all virtual workers are Virtual Assistants.

In truth, for someone wanting to really get the biggest bang–for the buck, for the time investment, for the emotional investment (and we're ALL invested emotionally in what we do in our businesses)–the best use of VA is in finding one and choosing one to be a right hand person, rather than looking for task-based people to do specific project/piecework. And in that shift, the way to choose him/her changes dramatically, as does how a client would delegate to him/her.

The project/piecework outsourcing model is really commodity-based. There's a task, someone has the skill, between two seemingly samely qualified people, the one with the lowest price for task wins the work. It's the same way people buy cans of tomatoes, or gas.

Because no time is spent in getting to know the person whose work is being retained, first, there can be no trust going in. Also, there's no expectation of longevity of relationship, or collaboration, or anything beyond the transaction. As a result, what you speak of with giving small tasks and gauging success before moving forward, becomes necessary.

But…when wanting to work with a Virtual Assistant–a *professional* Virtual Assistant, rather than someone working in an offshored version of a sweat shop, a client should choose for fit (of personality, nature, meshing with one's own company's culture, work ethic, sense of humor–and several other ways of fitting) first, and foremost. Skills…*any* skills, can be gained/taught/learned.? Finding the right person to serve a person and his business long-term and collaboratively–a knowledge worker who can get handled the tasks of today (*whatever* them may be–quite literally!) *and* help him look out at the big picture and plan/strategize for the future–is where the magic happens.

And those people? They don't audition. They don't do trials. They don't start small. They aren't begging for work–from anyone. They probably charge in excess of $50 per hour (the best VAs I know are easily earning closer to $100/hour). They are fabulous professionals who are better than their clients at the things they're going to be taking off their clients' plates, and that makes them leaders (among other things) worthy of respect, and in many, many cases, deference to their suggestions for their clients' businesses.

I'd caution your readers: Instead of looking for cheap labor, look for relationships with professionals. There's so much more to be gained, there.