It’s scary to think how much time we spend on email through any given day; we make a plan to check email several times per day – 9am, 12pm, 3pm and 6pm before we close up. However if we’re being really honest, we check it a lot more than that, it’s as though we’re expecting the next great thing to come through our email and if we’re not there to get it, well, we may miss out on a great opportunity.

Email Management is one of the first tasks that should be outsourced because there is absolutely no reason for YOU to spend time on something so simple. It is essential that you check your email regularly however you should not be the person to do this. Hire a Virtual Assistant who enjoys this type of task and get it off your desk.

Outsourcing this task takes some extra effort and time at the beginning but it will come back two fold.

Set up multiple email accounts for your business and filter the emails you receive into the various folders such as:

* Speaking engagements
* Social media accounts/newsletters/blogs
* Accounts/billing/invoices
* Support
* Staffing
* Clients
* JV’s
* Events/Marketing

#1 Inquiries about your business – no matter how much information you put on your website, you will always have people who have extra questions they want to ask.

#2 Inquiries regarding JV opportunities - once you hire a Virtual Assistant, they will need to become comfortable with you and your business so until then, bcc them on every email so they see what and how you answer these emails. Keep them informed as to what opportunities you are interested in and put templates in place for the various inquiries.

#3 Subscriptions – Take a few minutes each day and go through these and keep only the ones that are providing you with any benefit.

Ask your Virtual Assistant to go through these ezines and pick out interesting articles/opportunities/key information that you should know about, then have them copy and paste it into a word document and forward it to you at the end of each day.

#4 Accounts/Billing information – Forward these onto the person who takes care of billing/accounts or if you want them handled a different way, create a template with concise instructions on where they do go to.

#5 Staffing – Are you looking to hire a Virtual Assistant, create a template of how the process works and give it to your Virtual Assistant

#6 Emergencies - if you want your VA to notify you of an opportunity/potential client/marketing event immediately, tell them exactly how they can do that.

Don’t waste your precious and valuable time on email anymore, get these systems in place, get it outsourced and get those 3+ hours back!

Author's Bio: 

Virtual Assistant Matchmaker, Gráinne Foley launched Live-Hire to match high achieving, time-starved entrepreneurs with the right Virtual Assistants. Her mission is to save them precious time, money, and trouble and pave their path to success with the right virtual assistant for every need.

Visit www.live-hire.com to learn more and enjoy instant access to special reports that guide you to grow your business through outsourcing so you can love your business, your virtual team, and your life. Get in touch by email or phone to explore how to ease administrative overwhelm in time-saving and life-changing ways at info@live-hire.com or 954-770-5837.