This process was created for Virtual EA's to build trust, gain confidence, and streamline their processes from Day 1. Please edit this checklist as appropriate for your role. Learn the system, and we promise it will set you up for success!
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Being a valuable Virtual EA is no easy task! Your responsibilities likely range from Executive Assistant duties to personal tasks, not to mention the value you can bring to projects as you get more comfortable within the organization.
Because you have so many conflicting priorities, it can be easy to overlook daily tasks that are crucial to your Executive (especially as things get busy!) That's why we've created a procedure that outlines common Virtual EA tasks so your Executive and the team you support are set up for success.
In order to be as successful with this SOP as possible, schedule it to run on a daily basis so a task list is provided to you every morning. Seeing all of your tasks in one place will make you that much more efficient!
EA Pro Tip: Run through your main tasks first thing in the morning to ensure accuracy and limit distractions. In a thriving environment, things can happen quickly - make sure your Executive is set up for success prior to starting additional tasks.
Once you have an idea of your Executive's communication style and daily timeline, you will have a better idea of how to greet them at the start of each day. Here are some questions to consider asking your Executive so that you can deliver your greeting with the most relevant information for them:
It's important to note that not all Executives will require (or want) this type of daily greeting. Consider your Executives personality and preferences, and ask probing questions to set up the relationship in a way that is beneficial and builds trust for both of you.
EA Pro-Tip: No matter what kind of day you're having, strive to present your greetings and messages to your Executive in a friendly, can-do demeanor. This is not to say that you can't have difficult days, but building positive interactions is key to building trust and a great working relationship with your Executive.
As a Virtual EA, one of your main responsibilities is likely managing your Executive's calendar. At the start of each day, follow the below prompts to ensure accuracy and confirm that all necessary details are added to your Executive's calendar.
EA Pro-Tip #1: Ask your Executive if they'd like drive-time added to any external appointments. Ensure accuracy on the time it will take to get to, and from, the appointment and add this into their calendar along with any parking or valet instructions. This information can be easily found using a Google search.
EA Pro-Tip #2: After you check today's schedule, consider jumping ahead to tomorrow & the following day to ensure that there are no overlapping appointments and all of the necessary connection details have been confirmed.
After you've reviewed your Executive's Calendar for the current day, look ahead and begin to reconfirm future appointments for upcoming days. Consider using a method similar to the one outlined here to keep consistency in your process:
EA Pro-Tip: Create an email template to help you easily reconfirm calls throughout the week, without taking too much time out of your day. Once you get in the flow, daily reconfirmations should only take 5-10 minutes.
Here is an example of a Daily Reconfirmation email which is sent 3 days prior to the scheduled call:
Subj: Reconfirming your call with Jackie Bowker on DAY, DATE at TIME
I am reconfirming your appointment with Jackie Bowker on DAY, DATE at TIME ET. Please respond to this email to reconfirm.
If anything comes up the day of this appointment and you won't be available, please text message both of these numbers:
Jackie Bowker: +61 403 419 745
Jackies Assistant: +61 414 625 334
Thank you in advance for your reply confirming that you will be able to keep this appointment.
Kind regards,
Prue
Note: If the other party does not reconfirm the call or appointment 24 hours prior, reach out to your Executive to see if they want to keep the call as scheduled, or open up the time for another appointment.
Depending on your Executive's schedule, you are likely not only confirming appointments but also creating and managing them. As you grow with your Executive, you will learn the in's and out's of their preferences and how they'd like their appointments scheduled.
Consider the following when scheduling internal and external appointments for your Executive:
As you review your Executive's calendar, check for any recurring appointments that an Agenda may be useful for. Agenda's may also come in handy for any one-off meetings with staff, meetings regarding financials, among others.
Think creatively about how your Executive may be able to utilize Agenda's to keep meetings on-task and running smoothly. If your Executive does not use Agenda's, no problem! Offer to create one to test the waters, or just be diligent in making sure your Executive has what they need to prepare for the meeting or task.
EA Pro-Tip: Download the file below and edit it to suit your business's needs. Remember to "Make a Copy" of your Template so that you always have a clean version handy. Plan to use the same outline for each meeting to produce consistency and familiarity. Add sections for future to-do's and assign them appropriately, if applicable.
EA Pro-Tip #2: Use hyperlinks wherever possible (to any previous agendas, to external resources, etc) for easy access during the meeting.
Awesome! Revisit this Daily Checklist on a routine basis to continue learning your Executive's needs and revise your process until you are confident in your daily activities. Remember, you can create a copy of this checklist in Process.st and edit it to best suit your routine.
You've mastered your daily checklist - so, what's next? Perhaps your Executive has a list of activities they could use your assistance with, in that case, all you need to do is ask!
EA Pro-Tip: Your Executive may not know your exact workload or how much you are comfortable taking on, especially as you start out in this role. Be vocal about your bandwidth when appropriate, and if you're ready to take on more tasks, let them know!
First, breathe. Being a Virtual EA is no easy task. You are working on getting used to new processes, your Executive's needs, and how to best assist in your business's landscape. Think about what piece of the puzzle isn't working in the way you'd like, and do some additional research on how you can make things easier.
Do you need a new method of communication with your Executive?
Do you need a bit more training to feel confident?
Are you unsure of the expectations in your role?
Become clear on how you can best be supported, and speak with your Executive or team about it. Together, you can come up with a solution on making this role a success!
It's time to wrap up the day! Set yourself and your Executive up for success by completing the following tasks each evening:
As a Virtual EA, it's a bonus for your Executive if you're familiar with Social Media and have knowledge on how to use it to grow their reach and build relationships. It is likely that you'll need to build trust with your Executive prior to responding on their behalf, but if done correctly, you may be able to save them time and follow-up (and maybe even book some new clients!)
Once you have established your main duties as a VA, consider asking your Executive if they'd like help replying to any LinkedIn connections, Instagram Comments, or Facebook Page Likes. A little effort goes a long way!
EA Pro-Tip #1: Remember that you are acting on behalf of your Executive each time you make a public social media post, comment, or like. Keep things professional, on-brand, and appropriate to your Executive's clientele. What goes online, stays online!
EA Pro-Tip #2: Consider using a password protection system, such as Last Pass, to save your Executive's social passwords. Also, keep in mind that upon your first login, Two-Factor Authentication may be required.
Does your Executive have a home office or physical location that receives mail? As a Virtual EA, you're not able to assist much without having your Executive (or someone else on the team) scan in mail and send it your way. If this is a process your company is dealing with, consider transitioning to a Virtual Mailbox!
A virtual mailbox is a digital mailbox service that you access via any computer, tablet, or smartphone. Your virtual mailbox address is a real street address with your own personal box number. There are multiple Virtual Mailbox services in the U.S., and most are physical locations (for package pickup) as well.
Scan mail content to read virtually or store in the cloud; Deposit checks by mail; Receive, forward, pick up, shred, or discard mail and packages; Consolidate items to save on shipping.
Do a simple Google Search for 'Virtual Mailboxes in YOUR CITY' and see what opens you have available. Do a cost-comparison to see which mailbox may suit your business's needs most, and provide an analysis for your Executive to review.
EA Pro-Tip: If your Executive already uses a PO Box, you may be able to consolidate it into a new Virtual Mailbox, saving money and pick-up time!
How does your Executive's email inbox look? Do you have access to their business email, personal email, or a shared inbox?
Depending on the level of trust established, you may be able to provide a huge time-savings to your Executive by managing their email inbox. This can be as simple as moving Spam emails into Spam folders, marking items as 'important' if your Executive needs to reply quickly, or cleaning up any old email requests that have been solved in other ways.
Brainstorm together on how you can help manage their inbox. Having a trusted source to sort the spam can be a huge time saver in itself!
EA Pro-Tip: If your Executive receives more email than is easy to manage, consider a tool like SaneBox or Unroll.Me to easily organize and sort their inbox. This step may require more management on the front-end, but will be a benefit once it's 'trained'.
