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Human Resources

Using a Virtual Marketing Assistant: Managing Remote Teams in 2022

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We might be entering the post-pandemic era, but remote working isn’t going anywhere. Around 70% of people work from home full-time at the moment.

However, despite it turning out to be a successful work module and the increasing demand for remote job opportunities, employers are still finding some difficulties managing remote employees, especially in the case of virtual marketing assistants with whom they have never interacted previously.

Instead of trying old marketing tools and techniques that worked in the office, as a small business owner, you need to use a business strategy specifically designed for working with virtual assistant teams and remote employees.

This article will discuss remote management tips and how to keep your work-from-home employees and virtual marketing assistants motivated and focused.

The BIGGEST Mistakes Remote Managers Make with Virtual Marketing Assistants

The biggest mistake you can make as a manager is treating virtual assistants the same way you treat in-office workers.

Though they are working on the same tasks, the approach and process of working remotely are entirely different from that of an office setup.

Suppose you want to build a functional company culture with virtual marketing assistants. In that case, you need to find new ways to track employee performance and communication, especially in digital marketing and social media management.

Some of the biggest mistakes made by remote management while managing a virtual assistant include – 

  • Excluding the virtual assistants from essential meetings and critical decisions
  • Not establishing a relationship with your marketing virtual assistant based on trust and mutual understanding
  • Letting victories and accomplishments go unnoticed because they were not achieved within the office space
  • Not providing enough growth opportunities to your marketing assistant within the remote working space
  • Not making remote employees feel like a part of the team, especially in hybrid working environments.

These might seem like small factors individually, but put together, they can make your experienced virtual marketing assistant lose enthusiasm and interest in their work. Naturally, this harms their professional growth, but it’s also detrimental to the growth and success of your company.

Fortunately, with just a few simple tips and effort from the management, you can significantly improve working conditions for your remote workers.

Remember that you can also outsource your marketing tasks to a qualified digital marketing agency which can even save you up to $170,000 a year.

8 Tips To Effectively Manage a Remote Team in 2022

As a manager, you must equip your virtual marketing assistant with all the essential tools to create a healthy office culture and keep them productive, even if they are working remotely.

It’s no secret that keeping a marketing VA engaged is critical to a company’s success, and this is especially true in a remote environment where you are not physically present in the same workplace.

In managing remote teams, especially when dealing with tasks that could be automated or streamlined, considering the integration of AI technology can significantly enhance productivity. With the right tools such as AI assistants (perfect for your needs), remote team managers can ensure that mundane tasks are efficiently handled, giving virtual marketing assistants more time to focus on creative and strategic aspects of their role.

We’ve put together a list of some of the essential tools and practices for keeping your staff productive and enthusiastic while working remotely.

virtual meeting
  1. Define Clear Goals and Expectations for Your Virtual Marketing Assistants

The only way to grow a business is to understand your objectives and goals as a company clearly. Otherwise, you may frequently feel like you have no idea where your firm is going.

It’s incredibly vital in a remote organization to establish precise company goals and individual goals for each virtual assistant so that everyone is on the same page and works toward the same marketing efforts and social media marketing strategy.

It’s also essential to instill a growth attitude in your staff, which motivates them to work hard, set expectations for themselves, advance in their professions, and contribute to the company’s success.

  1. Digital Tools Are Your Friend When It Comes To Virtual Assistants

If you own a small business, you might be able to keep track of what projects each virtual assistant is working on and where they are in the process. However, keeping track of everyone’s progress might be challenging when dealing with a large staff and different projects simultaneously.

Using various online project management software and desktop-as-a-service (DaaS) is an excellent method to streamline your tasks and keep track of deadlines. In addition, most of these digital tools are cloud-based, so you and your team don’t have to be in the same office to use them when planning your marketing campaigns.

These tools can keep track of deadlines, see which projects are currently active, and assess each team member’s contribution to the project’s success. These tools also enable clear communication and coordination amongst teams, ensuring that everyone is on the same page for projects.

Check out these helpful tools for remote teams, which will help you oversee the status of marketing tasks and the progress of your virtual marketing assistant.

  1. Don’t Disregard The Opinion Of Your Virtual Assistant.

You want to provide a pleasant working environment for your remote assistants in the long run. As a result, it’s critical to consider your employees’ perspectives while making decisions on the company’s culture.

Encourage your staff to contact you with any ideas, thoughts, or feedback they may have. Make it known to them that they can come to you with any concerns they may be having.

Assuming they are hesitant to address these topics openly with you,  there are a plethora of private and public survey tools readily available online that you could use to gather input on how to better the quality of your team’s work.

This will make your team members feel appreciated and boost their productivity by providing a work environment in which they feel valued and secure.

  1. Discuss Performances and Provide Constructive Criticism to your Virtual marketing Assistant

Performance assessment is crucial, as we previously stated.

However, when managing a virtual marketing assistant and remote employees, you must know how to provide feedback without upsetting your colleagues’ sentiments. While feedback is essential for employees to improve their work performance, it can make them feel underappreciated and uninterested in delivering better results if it is not presented correctly.

Rather than focusing on the flaws, attempt to highlight the areas where the virtual marketing assistants excelled. And, instead of criticizing them for what they haven’t done, communicate with them to develop a strategic plan for how they may progress in those areas.

Also, whenever they do a good job, let them know how much you appreciate it, as this helps them feel like you value their work.

4. Don’t Underestimate The Power Of Communication With Your Virtual Assistant

Working with someone in the same space makes it simple to learn their personalities, body language, and quirks. As a result, communicating with them is much easier.

However, in a remote workplace, you must make an extra effort to understand your virtual assistant without physically interacting with them.

Schedule group and individual video sessions as much as possible to discuss marketing strategy and stay in constant touch with your virtual marketing assistant, as things can get lost in translation with written communication.

There are a plethora of free video conferencing applications available, including Skype, Zoom, and Google Meet, to make communicating with your virtual marketing assistant easier.

If feasible, have everyone’s videos on during these calls, as looking at someone can help you create a better relationship and better understand your team through nonverbal signs and gestures.

We also recommend allocating some time in these meetings to non-work-related themes. Finally, schedule a weekly/monthly meetup for your remote employees to bond outside the office.

  1. Dangers of Micromanaging

Managers can frequently keep tabs on their staff in the office by doing rounds and chit-chatting with various teams. However, these mid-day check-ins are not practical in a remote working setting. As a result, micromanagement of staff is commonplace among remote business owners and managers.

Instead, we propose trusting your staff with handling their job and allowing them to approach you for assistance if they require it. You hired remote workers for a purpose, and you need to trust them to produce the output you require without continual oversight.

Rather than micromanaging, attempt to forma strong bond with them. Inquire about their family and personal life. If your employees believe they can trust you, they will be less afraid to ask you questions or seek your assistance if needed.

  1. Design Reward Programmes for your Virtual Marketing Assistant

Employees who work remotely frequently feel as if their efforts are unappreciated, which causes them to lose motivation. Implementing a Reward Program will make them feel valued, but they will also feel appreciated, happier, and more productive.

Another significant concern with remote employees is that they frequently leave their job since working from home makes it challenging to feel like part of a team.

On the other hand, commending their accomplishments will make employees feel valued and motivated to contribute even more to the organization’s success.

  1. Dedicate Time For Performance Reviews of Your Virtual Marketing Assistants

Regular performance reviews are advantageous to your staff and your company’s growth. A review of their progress every quarter or bi-annually will help you see where they thrive professionally and where they need to improve.

This knowledge will assist you in guiding your employees in the proper direction. You can concentrate on upskilling someone, for example, if they lack a specific talent.

Alternatively, if there is an area of their work where they excel, you might give them extra responsibilities in that area. This allows them to make more efficient and productive use of their time at work.

  1. Drive And Purpose Go a Long Way with a Virtual Marketing Assistant

To make your employees feel that they are contributing to a larger goal, try to instill a feeling of purpose in their minds. Make an effort to convey the company’s ideals and the tremendous influence their work will have on the world.

Include these themes in your team’s regular communications so that the company’s values are ingrained in them and reflected in their work ethic.

Virtual Marketing is The New Normal

There’s no disputing that managing a  workforce is difficult, especially in a remote setting. However, it’s an equally satisfying sensation when your company’s success is due to your excellent management.

The key to successful leadership is to spot mistakes before they happen, and we hope that this article helps keep your staff motivated despite the physical distance.

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