How a Virtual Assistant Can Help Grow Your Real Estate Business

Real estate agents are busy people. It can be difficult to juggle open houses, showings, paperwork, and marketing. You may decide you need a virtual assistant to handle the overflow. 

Virtual assistants are a money-saving choice. You don’t need to pay for office space which cuts down on expenses. You may also be able to pay them less depending on where they are located and to account for the fact that they don’t need to commute.  

But the best thing about virtual assistants is that they can help you be more productive. This article will look at how you can use a virtual assistant to grow your business and boost profitability. 

What is a Virtual Assistant? 

A virtual assistant is like any other type of professional assistant, only they work from a remote location. Today, remote is the way to go. It offers several benefits including:

• Cuts back on the expense of renting or buying additional office space
• Allows you to choose talent from anywhere in the world
• Many people prefer to work from home, so it boosts productivity and employee satisfaction

What Responsibilities Can I Have a Virtual Assistant Handle?

You must decide what duties you are going to assign to your virtual assistant. Document the tasks you perform regularly. Determine which ones you want to do and which you would like to assign to an assistant.

A virtual assistant can handle any responsibility that is within their skill set and does not involve face-to-face contact. Examples include:

Marketing

A virtual assistant can take care of all real estate marketing responsibilities from creating content to sending it out to prospects. They can:

• Create social media posts, fliers, and mailings
• Write blog posts
• Schedule emails and social media posts
• Research and brainstorm marketing ideas
• Integrate SEO into web content
• Create graphic designs
• Send out mailings
• Track analytics

Operations

Your virtual assistant can handle the day-to-day operations that keep your company afloat. These include: 

• Basic bookkeeping
• Managing contracts and documents
• Data entry on one of the best real estate CRMs and MLS platforms
• Coordinating meetings, showings, and open houses
• Collecting feedback from clients and team members
• Recruiting and onboarding new agents
• Preparing reports on sales and performance

Sales

A virtual assistant may even be able to help you convert clients. The right assistant will have the skills on:

• How to generate real estate leads
• Update your CRM to handle leads
• Do cold calling and door knocking
• Follow up with leads
• Set up prospecting appointments
• Provide sales performance reports

Administrative Duties

There are plenty of administrative duties your VA can take care of. These include: 

• Writing and responding to emails
• Scheduling meetings
• Answering phone calls
• Recording meeting minutes
• Handling your calendar
• Personal administrative duties such as sending out holiday cards and organizing family events

How Much Should I Pay a VA?

A VA is an added expense. You must figure out how much to pay your employee and still bring in an ROI. There are several factors to consider when arriving at a number. 

• Direct Earners: If your VA handles sales, they will be direct earners. In this situation, you can determine how much money you would like them to bring in. Their salary should not exceed this number. It should also allow the company to bring in a profit. Other expenses of acquiring new talent must be considered as well.
• Indirect Earners: Indirect earners do not directly make money for your company, but they will increase productivity which can boost profitability. Consider how much they will increase your income as well as any expenses incurred to onboard them.
• Costs: You must also consider the costs you will incur in hiring the talent and keeping them onboard. These include supplies, time spent training, benefits, and other possible expenses. Since you are hiring a VA, you won’t need to consider office space or commuting.
• U.S. Based or Overseas: Hiring a remote assistant opens doors for taking on an overseas worker. Doing so can be beneficial as many foreign countries tend to have lower costs of living. Therefore, their workers will accept lower salaries. However, you must also think of things like time zones that may make your virtual assistant unavailable during regular business hours. Language barriers are another consideration, particularly if you are planning for your VA to have writing duties.
• Level of Experience: A more experienced VA will ask for more pay. However, finding an assistant with a specific knowledge set can be worth the money. They will require less training and they may help your company grow in more ways than you expected.
• Responsibilities: You will need to pay your VA a salary that matches the responsibilities they will be assigned. For example, if your VA must handle tasks that require little or no skill, such as running errands and data entry, you can pay them less. If you need your VA to take care of more advanced tasks, like marketing, sales, and handling specialized software, you will need to pay them more. 

Part-Time, Full Time or Project Based

You must also consider whether your VA will be part-time, full time or project based. You may want to hire an assistant temporarily to help with a big project. Or you may start out hiring an assistant for just a few hours a day. 

Starting on a project-based or part-time basis may be beneficial as it will help you determine whether you want to increase your VA’s hours as your company grows. But it can also limit your access to top talent. Some individuals will only be willing to work full-time. 

You must also consider whether your VA will be an independent contractor or a regular employee. Independent contractors require less paperwork than traditional workers. They do not require you to pay government taxes. 

However, a regular worker may be a better option as you will have more control over when they work and how they work. There will also be clearer boundaries in terms of intellectual property. It may be easier to attract regular workers since these positions offer a sense of permanence and often come with benefits. 

Both options will require you to get an EIN. A regular employee will also require a W2 and other forms which can vary from state to state. If you have an accountant, they will be able to assist you in the hiring process. 

How to Write an Ad to Attract the Right Virtual Assistants

The right ad can make all the difference in attracting high-quality talent. Here are some things to keep in mind when creating your ad. 

• Create a Strong Title Using a Relevant Keyword: A clear title will make it easy for virtual assistants to find you. It is recommended that you use a keyword in your title such as ‘real estate virtual assistant’ to ensure you attract the right candidates. 
• Include a Brief Bio: A short paragraph with information about your company will let candidates know where you are located, and your company mission. It will help you find the best fit for your company. 
• Detailed Job Description: It’s necessary to convey what the job entails while using clear, concise language. Briefly state the job responsibilities and the hours required. Let candidates know they will be working remotely. 
• List the Required Skills: You may require your VA to have hard skills such as experience in the real estate industry or proficiency with a specific software program. You may also be looking for soft skills like excellent time management and organizational abilities. Be sure to include these requirements in your ad. 
• Information on Applying: Include information on applying such as how to apply, i.e., by phone, email, etc., what they will need to apply, such as a resume, and when to apply if necessary. 

Where to Find VAs

Once you have your ad written, you will need to post it on relevant job sites. There are several job sites available. The one you choose will depend on whether you are trying to attract freelancers or regular employees, as well as other factors. 

Here are some recruiting sites that will help you find a VA. 

• Indeed: Indeed is a highly trafficked job board that caters to United States businesses and candidates. It offers unlimited free listings as well as pay-per-click ads that boost visibility. 
• LinkedIn: LinkedIn offers free and paid posting options. Employers also have the option of conducting manual searches to find candidates and get in touch for free. This strategy works well for businesses with larger networks. 
• Upwork: Upwork is a good choice for agents looking for freelancers. The platform will get you in touch with freelancers around the country. It is free to post ads. It collects a percentage from the freelancer’s pay. 

There are also talent-finding platforms that specialize in finding virtual assistants. These include: 

• Virtuedesk: Virtuedesk offers a support team that sets your VA up for success. The VAs in their database are trained to handle a range of tasks from bookkeeping to marketing to administrative duties. They use DISC profiles to ensure you find the assistant that’s right for your team. 
• TimeEtc: TimeEtc will help you find U.S.-based VAs who can help with various tasks. The platform uses a system that does most of the hunting and prequalifying for you. It is an ideal option for agents who don’t have much time on their hands. 
• ClearDesk: ClearDesk helps you find virtual assistants that are specialized in your field. They will sort through full-time and part-time candidates and use a certification process to ensure your candidates live up to your expectations. 
• MyTasker: MyTasker is an ideal option if budget is a concern. They specialize in matching you with overseas talent that can move your company forward. 
• MyOutDesk (MOD Virtual): MyOutDesk selects top-notch overseas help and trains them to become expert real estate assistants. Once trained, they will offer a high level of support, which also comes with a hefty price tag. The platform is well worth the investment for agents earning $200,000 or more in revenue.  
• Summit: Summit specializes in real estate virtual assistants. Their candidates are provided with over 160 hours of real estate training. The platform offers a support team that will get your VA up to speed so they are ready to jump in when needed. 

Screening and Interviewing

Once you get responses for your VA jobs, create a short list of the most qualified candidates. Set up a brief phone screening asking questions about experience, salary expectations, skills, and why they want the job. 

The screening process should further whittle down your list to a few candidates you’d like to call in for an interview. During the interview, you can go into depth regarding the issues you discussed in your screening. An in-person meeting will give you a better idea of the candidate’s hard and soft skills so you can determine if they are right for your company. 

If you are unsure of which candidate to choose, discuss your options with your team. You should also choose a backup candidate that will serve as an alternate if your first choice does not accept your offer. 

The Right Training is Essential

Many companies lose employees during the onboarding process. They don’t train employees properly, so they feel lost and unwelcome during the onboarding process. This is especially likely to occur if you hire a virtual assistant whom you do not have regular contact with. 

An employee that doesn’t feel welcome may quit before they get started leaving you to find new help. As a result, all the time and money you spent during the hiring process will be lost. 

To prevent this from happening, determine how and when you will train your assistant to ensure they withstand the test of time. If you feel that you don’t have the time to properly train your assistant, consider choosing a recruiting platform that offers these services. 

A virtual candidate will take tasks off your hand so you can focus on more pressing responsibilities. The guidelines in this article will help you make a smart hiring decision and get you prepared for the road ahead. We wish you luck finding someone ideal for your needs. 

Other resources: We have guides on the ins and outs of the topics you need to know to be a successful estate agent (like circle prospecting, real estate website builders, the best real estate lead generation companies, or a well designed real estate CRM). If you’re looking for more advanced topics like real estate ads, building your own real estate lead generation website, which real estate marketing tools you’ll need,  how to build a successful social media strategy, or even just real estate marketing ideas in general, you can try looking for a real estate mentor that can help show you the way.