So you have come to the realization that you could use the helping hand of a Virtual Assistant with your business and now it is time to do a little shopping around for Virtual Assistant prices, right? Well finding a Virtual Assistant that fits in your budget shouldn’t be hard, but there is some things that you must understand before going any further.
When you are making the choice to work with a Virtual Assistant you are choosing to work with an Independent Contractor. To you that means saving money because you are not responsible for paying the same expenses that you would if you hired an on site employee. Some examples of these would be employee benefits, payroll taxes, social security taxes, office space and furniture, etc.
With a Virtual Assistant you are only paying for their services with can really save thousands each year. In knowing that you are not paying for the various employee expenses, you have to understand that Virtual Assistant pricing is a reflection of that.
When you first begin doing your research you may find that the pricing will range between $25-$60 per hour. And for some that is unreasonable pricing, but you do have to take into consideration of what you are actually getting. You are getting a professional that can perform the job of 2-5 different employees, you don’t have to worry about paying for office space or equipment, and you are only paying for a Virtual Assistant’s productive time. So, although the pricing may look high, it is actually saving you a lot of money.
One thing that you have to be extremely careful about is pricing that is too low. You will find Virtual Assistants that will under price their services. This is a mistake usually done by someone that is new to Virtual Assisting, or someone that is going to display pricing flaws in the future. In this case, you have to remember “you get what you pay for” so if you are looking for premium services you have to pay premium prices.
To help you during your research process, here are some tips for getting your money’s worth with Virtual Assistant Pricing:
Check to see what is covered in their services. A good virtual assistant will provide all of the necessary equipment and supplies to do the job right. If a VA has a lot of extra charging going on for various supplies then they might not be the right pick for you.
If you plan to use your Virtual Assistant for long-term services then you need to make sure that you are dealing with one that provides retainer pricing, where you pay monthly for a set number of hours rather than paying hourly.
If your Virtual Assistant offers memberships, take advantage of them because a lot of times they will end up saving you more than you think.
Pay special attention to Virtual Assistants that provide you with free hours each month, because those free hours can really add up and save a few bucks.
