How to Know What to Hand Over to a VA (And How to Make It Actually Work)
One of the most common things I hear from photographers and creative business owners who've tried working with a VA before is some version of "it just didn't really work out." And when I dig into what happened, it's almost never about the VA. It's about the handover.
Outsourcing works brilliantly when it's set up properly. Here's how to do it.
Start by working out where your time is actually going
Before you think about what to hand over, spend a week or two noting down everything you do in your business that isn't the actual work you're paid for. Answering enquiries, sending contracts, chasing invoices, scheduling calls, writing the same emails over and over, managing your inbox.
That list is your starting point. You're looking for the tasks that are time-consuming, repetitive, and don't specifically need to be done by you.
Get your client management sorted first
If your client journey lives mainly in your head, outsourcing is going to be harder than it needs to be. Before bringing a VA in, it's worth getting your CRM set up properly. In Dubsado, that means your workflows, canned emails, and automations are all documented and running. Your VA can then work within that system rather than trying to figure out how you do things from scratch.
This is honestly the step most people skip, and it's the one that makes the biggest difference.
Be specific about what you're handing over
Vague briefs lead to vague results. Instead of "can you manage my inbox," try "can you respond to all new enquiries using this template, flag anything that needs a personal response, and archive anything that's more than two weeks old with no reply."
The more specific you can be, the better your VA can do the job. And the less time you'll spend going back and forth.
Build in a proper handover period
Give your VA time to learn how you work before they're doing things independently. A week or two of working alongside you, asking questions, and getting familiar with your systems is worth it. It's not a sign that things aren't working. It's just how good working relationships start.
Check in regularly, especially at the beginning
A quick weekly check-in in the early weeks means small issues get caught before they become bigger ones. It also gives your VA a chance to flag anything that's unclear or that could be done better. The best VA relationships are collaborative ones.
What I can help with
If you're not sure where to start with any of this, that's exactly what I do. Whether it's getting your Dubsado set up so it's ready to hand over, or providing ongoing VA support once everything is in place, I work with photographers and creative businesses to get the back end of their business properly sorted.
Book a free discovery call to chat through your options.