Small business owners often ask me how much documentation they need to have prior to bringing on a VA. Creating standard operating procedures (SOPs), training videos and documentation is great–but you don’t have to be the one to create them!

I always prefer to jump on a zoom call with our VA to go over the important points of the task or assignment. Remember, it is crucial that you relay your expectations with as much clarity as possible. Screen sharing can really do a great job of illustrating the execution of the task so they can learn as efficiently as possible. I am always sure to ask if they have any questions and even ask them to relay back to me what their understanding of the task is.

This is how I conclude every call that show how to do a process in our business:

I ask the Virtual Assistant to create a process document of what we just covered.

I do this for 3 different reasons:

  1. It shows me that they fully understood the task that was just shown to them.
  2. It’s an approach that will allow my company to have a growing library of ‘how to’ documents. These can be referred to in the future by the VA herself and they can be used to train new staff when the time comes. Best of all, a company with well-document systems and processes is simply worth more money. Did you know that the act of bringing on a VA would actually increase the value of your company?
  3. It saves my time and allows me to focus on higher value activities. This is the essence of why we bring on Virtual Assistants in the first place, so we might as well take advantage of the resource! 

I have 2 separate programs that I love our VAs to use when creating process documents.

This software allows you to record the contents of your screen, and it overlays a recording of of you as you shoot the video. This allows you to connect with the audience and clearly explain a process. Free accounts are limited to 5 minutes of recording time, but they can be uploaded to your youtube channel so they are available in the future.

This software is super cool! It’s similar to loom in that you do ‘record’ a process, but instead of creating a video, ScribeHow will create a detailed SOP. They are complete with screen captures, mouse highlights, and they have custom spaces that you can use to really emphasize various points. When you have a completed ScribeHow, you can embed to document to your website, or export as a PDF.

Delegating the task of creating the process documents can be done many different ways. Ultimately, we want to strive for a final product that is clear, and easy to understand. If it can be readily available and easily searched, there will be a greater chance of it actually getting used.

Happy SOP-ing!

P.S. If you have any questions relating to Virtual Assisstants, reach out! Deploying high-caliber VAs is my passion and I love to ‘talk shop’! https://NinjaVA/#demo