Drowning in admin and considering hiring a Virtual Assistant (VA) to lighten the load? Before you jump in, we’ve got a smarter way to start.
Before you delegate, you should automate.
Step 1: Audit Your Task List
Start by making a list of everything you do regularly: daily, weekly, monthly, and beyond.
Seeing it all laid out will help you identify what’s eating up your time and what could be handled more efficiently.
Before handing tasks over to a VA, ask yourself - can any of these be automated?
Step 2: Automate First, Then Delegate
There are countless smart tools and apps (we list some below!) that can handle repetitive, time-consuming tasks without human input. That means fewer manual tasks for you and your VA, saving you money while making your business run smoother.
But does this mean a VA is unnecessary? Absolutely not!
A skilled VA doesn’t just take tasks off your plate - they’re experts in setting up automations too.
Instead of spending hours figuring out automation tools yourself, your VA can handle the setup and maintenance, freeing you up even faster.
What Can You Automate?
Here are some of the biggest time-draining tasks you should automate before delegating:
📅 Scheduling & Appointments
Use Calendly or Microsoft Bookings to eliminate the back-and-forth of scheduling meetings.
Automate email confirmations and reminders so clients never miss an appointment.
💬 Customer Support
Chatbots (like Zapier or Intercom) handle routine inquiries, FAQs, and lead generation.
Automated email responses ensure quick replies to common customer questions.
📊 Data Entry & Processing
Zapier connects tools and apps that don't normally integrate to eliminate manual data transfers.
Hubdoc automatically pulls in receipts and invoices for accounting.
💰 Accounting & Finance
Xero automates invoicing, bill payments, and financial reporting.
Dext (formerly Receipt Bank) makes expense tracking seamless.
📢 Marketing & Social Media
Meta Business Suite, Hootsuite, or Later schedule posts across multiple platforms.
Email marketing tools like Mailchimp and ActiveCampaign automate newsletters, follow-ups, and lead nurturing.
Step 3: Bring in a VA to Handle the Rest
Once you've automated what you can, your VA steps in to manage the rest.
They can:
Set up and refine your automations.
Handle high-value tasks that require strategy and human judgment.
Manage and monitor automated systems to ensure they run smoothly.
Maximise Your Time & ROI
The key to scaling your business efficiently isn’t just outsourcing work, it’s reducing unnecessary manual tasks altogether.
Our Savvy VAs can set up your automations and handle the rest, leaving you free to focus on what actually grows your business. Book a discovery call today!
