A Beginner’s Guide To Hiring Your First Virtual Assistant: When To Start, What To Outsource, & How To Scale With The Right Support

Most established or fully-booked service-based business owners feel the strain of their time being stretched too thin juggling too many responsibilities, leaving little room for growth and increased income.

A recommended way to scale a business at this level is by selling digital products - but often these entrepreneurs are too bogged down with day-to-day tasks to do this. That’s when outsourcing or hiring a Virtual Assistant (VA) might be the next step to break free from the hustle and grind.

But while the idea of finally getting some help is appealing, making that crucial first hire can feel overwhelming. Business owners get stuck wondering:

• How do I know when I’m ready to hire a VA?

• What tasks should I outsource?

• What red flags should I look out for when hiring?

• Once I have help, what should I focus on instead to grow my business?

Sound like you? Keep reading…

This guide is for service-based entrepreneurs like you who want to scale their businesses using digital products - and how outsourcing helps you achieve that.

Topics I’ll cover:

• 5 Signs You’re Ready To Hire A Virtual Assistant

• What Type Of Virtual Assistant Do You Need?

• What To Outsource: The VA Task List

• 10 Tips For Hiring Your First Virtual Assistant

• High-Impact Activities The Business Owner Should Focus On

• Scale Your Business With The Right Support

---

5 Signs You’re Ready To Hire A Virtual Assistant

Have you reached a point where managing all aspects of the business by yourself is no longer sustainable? This often happens when you try to reach a new audience or expand your revenue streams by adding digital products.

Here are five signs that you might be ready to hire help:

1. A clear process or system already exists. When processes for operating your business, marketing/selling your services, and dealing with admin tasks are clearly defined, you can easily delegate them to a VA without constant oversight.

2. Feeling burnout and craving work-life balance. Do you consistently feel behind trying to complete a never-ending list of daily tasks? Do you stress about work even on evenings, weekends, and holidays? Those are clear indicators you need more support. A VA can help you reclaim those precious hours so you can have more time for yourself and your family.

3. Growth is stalling. Has revenue plateaued? Are you dependent on the same handful of clients to keep your business afloat? This happens when you’re stuck in a cycle of working IN your business rather than ON it. A VA can handle the routine tasks that keep you from developing new ideas/content/products that scale your business sustainably.

4. Task avoidance. Are you frequently avoiding or procrastinating certain tasks—like social media management, content creation, or customer service—because they’re tedious or not your strong suit? Hand them off to a VA instead and they’ll can get them done promptly.

5. Missing opportunities because you lack bandwidth. Whether you’re turning down potential clients because your calendar is full, or opportunities for marketing, networking, and launching new products are slipping through the cracks because you’re too busy, a VA can help lighten the workload. This will give you space to pursue projects and collaborations that move the needle in your business.

---

What Type Of Virtual Assistant Do You Need?

Hiring a VA can be a game-changer as they help lighten your workload. But before you delegate tasks, it’s important to know whether you need a generalist VA, a specialist VA, or both.

Generalist VA

“GENERALIST VAs are often seen as a “jack of all trades.” They’re ideal if you need broad support.”

They handle a variety of tasks across your business, especially those that are administrative or operational. Generalist VAs are adaptable, quick learners, and can manage a variety of tasks with minimal supervision.

Common tasks for a Generalist VA:

• Administrative Support: Managing your calendar, scheduling appointments, handling emails, and organizing files.

• Basic Content Management: Formatting and uploading blog posts, proofreading content, managing social media posts using templates, and scheduling them.

• Customer Service: Responding to customer inquiries, managing customer support emails, and processing orders or refunds.

• Data Entry: Inputting data into spreadsheets, maintaining databases, and updating CRM systems.

• Simple Graphic Design: Using templates to create social media graphics, presentations, or simple visual content.

Specialist VA

“SPECIALIST VAs focus on a specific area of your business. They’re ideal if you need expert-level work .”

These VAs bring a higher level of skill and experience in a particular field, such as digital marketing, video editing, graphic design, or email marketing. Hiring a specialist VA is ideal when you need high-quality, professional work in a specific area that requires in-depth knowledge and advanced skills.

Common tasks for a Specialist VA:

• Advanced Content Creation: Writing compelling blog posts; crafting sales copy; developing content strategies; optimizing content for SEO;

• Digital Marketing: Designing and executing marketing campaigns; managing paid ads; performing A/B testing and analyzing campaign performance; website design; email marketing;

• Video Editing: Creating professional-quality videos with advanced editing software, adding custom motion graphics, and developing video content strategies.

• Graphic Design: Designing logos, branding materials, custom graphics, and high-quality visual content for websites and social media.

• Course Platform Management: Customizing and managing online course platforms; setting up funnels; handling site integrations; back-end tech support;

Choosing Between A Generalist & A Specialist VA

Deciding between a generalist and a specialist VA depends on your business needs and goals. Here are pros and cons to help you decide what’s best for your situation.

Pros

Generalist VA	Specialist VA
Versatility: They can help with a wide range of tasks, making them valuable for daily operations.	Expertise: Specialist VAs bring a high level of proficiency, ensuring that tasks are completed with expertise and precision.
Cost-Effective: Generally, generalist VAs charge lower hourly rates than specialists, making them an affordable option for small businesses or those just starting to outsource.	Quality of Work: They deliver high-quality, professional results that meet industry standards, particularly for tasks that require a polished finish.
Flexibility: Their ability to handle multiple tasks means you can shift their focus as your business needs change.	Strategic Contribution: Specialists can contribute to strategic aspects of your business, providing insights and recommendations that can drive growth.

Cons

Generalist VA	Specialist VA
Limited Expertise: While they can perform a variety of tasks, they may not have deep expertise in any particular area.	Higher Cost: Due to their advanced skills and expertise, specialist VAs often command higher hourly rates.
Potential Need for Supervision: Generalists may require more guidance or oversight, particularly for complex or strategic tasks.	Limited Focus & Flexibility: They may not be able (or willing) to assist with other tasks outside their expertise. If your needs shift, you may need to hire additional VAs to cover other areas of your business.

Many solopreneurs and small businesses start with a generalist VA to handle routine tasks and then add specialist VAs as their needs become more complex or as they scale their operations. Understanding these differences will help you make an informed decision and ensure that you get the most value from your investment in a Virtual Assistant.

---

What To Outsource: The VA Task List

Hiring a VA allows you to offload tasks that are essential but time-consuming. Here’s a breakdown of tasks to outsource to scale your service-based business with digital products.

I categorized tasks by whether they typically fall under a Generalist VA or a Specialist VA so you can better match your needs to the right type of assistant and make more informed hiring decisions.

Administrative Tasks

Generalist VA	Specialist VA
Managing your calendar and scheduling appointments	Coordinating complex project management tasks using specialized tools
Handling customer service inquiries and support requests	Setting up advanced CRM systems for client management
Managing online store inventory, updating product listings, and processing orders	Managing financial tasks such as bookkeeping or invoicing
Organizing digital files and maintaining cloud storage	Developing SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) for your business processes

Course Platform Setup & Management

Generalist VA	Specialist VA
Uploading course content (videos, PDFs, quizzes) to platforms like Teachable, Kajabi, or Squarespace	Developing student-focused curriculums and structuring the content for optimal learning
Setting up and managing user access and enrollment processes	Designing excellent user experiences for students (e.g. orientation workflow, community protocols)
Creating and maintaining course landing pages using basic templates	Designing custom sales, checkout, and other landing pages
Monitoring student engagement, providing basic support as needed	Developing and managing membership sites or connecting advanced features and integrations

Content Creation

Generalist VA	Specialist VA
Formatting and uploading blog posts	Developing comprehensive content strategies that align with your digital products
Proofreading and editing content	Writing high-quality blog posts, emails, or sales pages
Transcribing videos or podcasts for repurposing	Creating and managing content calendars
Creating basic social media posts using templates	Optimizing content for SEO to attract more organic traffic

Digital Product Launches

Generalist VA	Specialist VA
Coordinating schedules and adding launch events to the calendar	Developing a comprehensive launch strategy tailored to your business goals and timeline
Preparing and scheduling promotional emails and social media posts using existing templates	Implementing advanced product launch campaigns involving multiple platforms, funnels, and team members
Updating existing launch-related landing pages with minor updates	Creating custom sales pages and high-converting landing pages
Monitoring and reporting on the success of the launch using standard metrics	Analyzing launch data in-depth and optimizing future launches based on insights