One of the number rules of being a successful entrepreneur is knowing when to ask for help. Outsourcing some of the tedious and time-intensive parts of your work is the best thing you can do for your Etsy business and peace of mind. When it comes to running a small business, such as an Etsy store, it can be very tempting to do everything yourself. When you start exploring the benefits of seeking external help, you will soon discover that this is a great way to take your business to the next level.
With that in mind, we will explore the many benefits associated with using the services of an Etsy virtual assistant by looking at the various tasks that this sort of professional can help you with.
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Start your 14 day free trialWhat can an Etsy virtual assistant help you with?
In essence, a VA can help you with anything that can be performed or communicated online. To determine the areas that you need help with:
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Sit down and create a list of all of the tasks you currently do to keep your business running outside of making your products. See our guide on how to create SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures for your Handmade business) for ideas on potential areas of your handmade business to outsource.
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For each of these tasks, write down how much time you spend on doing this every week.
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Figure out which of these tasks can be performed online without needing to be in your physical workspace.
From here, isolate the tasks that take you the most amount of time and focus on finding someone to help you get these done.
As an idea of the possibilities, we’ll outline the typical tasks that an Etsy seller might like to outsource using a VA:
Marketing
An Etsy virtual assistant will help you with marketing your store and the products you sell. Many Etsy store owners do not have a lot of time to spend on marketing because they are so busy making and selling their products. As marketing can lead to more sales and profits, this can be a brilliant way of employing a VA.
A few messages on social media here and there are about all that most Etsy store owners have the time to muster up. However, with a virtual assistant on your side, they will handle all of the marketing for you. They will work on everything from social media optimization to search engine marketing, ensuring that your store is visible and attracting as many customers as possible.
Customer Service
A Virtual Assistant is also able to assist on the customer service front. This includes acknowledging customer comments across various platforms, replying to customers, updating them on shipping information and delivery date, and answering queries. This is a great way to ensure that you maintain strong relationships with your customers even when you’re extremely busy fulfilling orders.
SEO
Another area that an Etsy virtual assistant will help is in writing product descriptions and adding the relevant tags for maximum impact on your handmade marketplaces and on Google. They can also proofread anything that you write to ensure that it is grammatically correct and engaging.
Read our post on SEO strategies for Etsy sellers you can use to improve your shop’s ranking »
Product Photography
Many photographers specialize in product photography that you can use to improve your product offerings. As part of their packages, they will ask you to send them examples of your product. They will then take professional pictures with models or appropriate backgrounds and send you the samples back.
Bookkeeping and Inventory Management
Suppose you struggle with keeping up with the financial side of your business. In that case, a Virtual Assistant can be an absolute savior. There are many VAs versed in popular bookkeeping and accounting packages that can ensure that the reports you need are at your fingertips when you need them.
Tip: If you are falling behind with your bookkeeping on Craftybase Bookkeeping and Inventory for Handmade Sellers, a Virtual Assistant can help you get back up to speed. You can find many VAs that specialize in data entry and bookkeeping via Fiverr and Upwork.
The benefits of hiring an Etsy virtual assistant
When you find someone to help you, this gives you the chance to focus on what you do best. This means more time and effort is going to go into the products that you sell. You will also be able to focus on creating new products and adding them to your store. While someone else is taking care of all of the other tasks, you can focus on the core of your business your strategy to grow.
Plus, by using the services of an Etsy virtual assistant, you will be able to tap into the knowledge that you may not have yourself at the moment. For example, suppose you do not know a lot about marketing. In that case, it can be challenging to market your Etsy store in the way that it needs to be promoted. After all, SEO, PPC, social media marketing, and such like can’t be mastered overnight. It takes time and effort. Luckily, you don’t have to worry about any of this when you bring in outside assistance. You will have someone who already has all of the expert knowledge needed to make your business a success. Tapping into this expert experience could be just the thing you need to propel your Etsy store to new heights.
Another benefit of hiring an Etsy virtual assistant is that you have someone objective to bounce ideas off. It can be tough to manage everything by yourself, especially when you’re so close to your business and the products you sell. It can be hard to think about things objectively and consider what the customer really wants over your own views and opinions. This is why it is often good to bring someone else into the equation who will be completely honest with their thoughts and opinions about the products you sell. Many people think that hiring an Etsy virtual assistant is an added expense that they don’t need. When you consider all of the benefits, it is not hard to see how adding someone to your team like this can actually make you more money in the long run.
While it can be tempting to manage everything yourself, the only way to make some serious money and take your store to the next level is to consider the services offered by an Etsy virtual assistant. After all, there are only so many hours in the day. There is only so much that you can do with one pair of hands, which is why hiring a virtual assistant comes so highly recommended.
