What's the Best Way to Communicate With My Virtual Executive Assistant?

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Effective communication is vitally important to the success of your business and workday.

So when you hire a virtual assistant, communication is undoubtedly one of the most important aspects of the relationship.

Grammarly has released as study that found that according to business leaders, effective communication as increased productivity by 72%. Time to spend some resources on the topic.

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What is Effective communication?

Harvard has established that communication is a skill, and you can learn it. Effective communication means saying what you mean in a way that others understand easily.

It involves listening carefully to others, using clear language, and being considerate of how others might feel.

It's like having a smooth conversation where everyone gets the message without any confusion.

That’s also the goal with your VA.

When we effectively communicate with our peers and employees, the results of what we can accomplish are incredible.

Work flows easily, projects are completed more efficiently, and timelines are met.

Now, this might seem like common sense, but there are some important factors and solutions you’ll want to explore when you decide to hire a VA. 

Which action demonstrates effective communication?

An action that demonstrates effective communication is actively listening to someone without interrupting, showing understanding through nods or verbal affirmations, and then responding thoughtfully to what they've said.

This not only validates the speaker's message but also fosters constructive dialogue and mutual respect.And that is just as effective virtually.

The same social codex should be followed regardless if it’s an in-person or online meeting/communication.

How should I communicate with my Virtual Assistant? And when?

Expectations

Luckily, there are many different methods to effectively communicate what you need from your assistant. Just be sure you communicate your expectations very clearly before you get started.

You’ll want to get things right the first time around to avoid any confusion. This might include asking yourself which methods of communication you like to use the best!

Emails

A very common and simple solution is to communicate through email. It’s a tried-and-true method, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.

As long as you have established your expectations for response times (typically within a few hours, or up to 24 hours), there shouldn’t be any issues communicating in this way.

Plus, you can really email your assistant any time that’s convenient for you, as long as you understand their response times might fluctuate depending on their time zone, or if you write something late at night.

Just use your discretion and business-sense when sending something off.

Unless you’re working on a rush project, email is a perfectly fine way to outline needs or ask questions.

The only downside to email is that messages can be lost in long threads, notifications might be missed due to inbox settings, or overwhelming feelings might arise if too many emails are sent, CC’d, or forwarded surrounding project needs.

If you feel you need to voice your concerns or needs promptly, a phone call or video chat (think Zoom) might be best.

Other Messaging Services

Further, if you’re finding you need more availability or faster responses from your VA, text messaging or instant/voice messaging apps like Voxer are super efficient and user-friendly.

Similar to iMessage, you can send quick voice notes as you think of ideas or needs. And the features in the apps allow you to see when your VA receives and listens to your messages.

Plus, the ‘walkie-talkie’ functionality makes for a fun experience.

Again, just be mindful of how many messages you’re sending, and when you’re sending them. It would be unfair to send something off at 2am and expect your VA to respond right away.

Moreover, ambiguous messages could arise if you’re finding yourself talking too much or in circles.

Try to be as concise as possible when communicating like this!

Your VA is A communications Pro

At the end of the day, try to think about what works best for you as the client, and your VA will follow suit.

Just try to be mindful of your practices, and brush up on your own communication skills if need be! If you’re open to new ideas, your VA might just have the tools you’ve been looking for.

All you have to do is ask. She’s A Given is here to virtually assist.