We get it. Scaling without the right team members in place can feel like trying to build a house without a solid foundation. Especially when that seat is marketing. We recently faced this challenge ourselves. Our current VAs are at full capacity, and we knew we couldn’t scale effectively without more of the right people in the right seats. So, we brought on a new VA, and here’s what we learned in the process.

If you’re looking to onboard a marketing VA who can help your business scale, follow these seven key steps to ensure success.

 

7 Steps to Find and Onboard a VA for Marketing

 

1. Identify the Tasks and Skills You Need

Before you even start looking for a VA, it’s crucial to identify the specific tasks and skills you need. Are you looking for someone who can handle content creation, social media management, lead generation, or marketing automation, and across which channels and using which software?

To make this easier, we have a Marketing VA Task Checklist that outlines the various responsibilities a VA can take on. This helps you get clear on the scope of work and the skill set required. Remember to also include the personal attributes or values required to fulfil the tasks in your unique business. Eg. Problem solver, curious, detail orientated. 

However, even when you find a VA with the perfect combination of skills, capacity, and attitude, your job doesn’t end when they start their job. A common mistake many business owners make is assuming that a competent VA will just “know what to do” without guidance.

 

Why Your VA Still Needs Training, a Strategy, and Plan

Even the most skilled VA needs clear direction to succeed. Here’s why:

• Lack of Context: They might be proficient in social media management or email marketing, but they won’t automatically know how you want things done in your business. Question: Are you clear on how you want things done, and can you give this to them?
• Strategy Alignment: A VA may know how to execute tasks, but without understanding your overall marketing strategy, their work might not align with your business goals. Question: Do you specifically know what is needed to get a result, and can you teach it?
• Tailored Approach: Your business is unique, and your VA needs guidance on your brand voice, key messages, and priorities. Simply having the skills isn’t enough if they’re not directed correctly. Question: Do you have a brand kit and content guide? 
• Continuous Learning: Even a well-trained VA will need ongoing direction and updates as your strategy evolves and the business shifts. 

 

As I always say, “You need to slow down in the beginning to speed up quicker.” Investing time in training and strategic alignment at the start will save you time and effort down the road.

 

2. Find the Right Fit Through a Professional Agency

Finding the right VA can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack—and hiring the wrong one can cost you time, money, and productivity. Many business owners make the mistake of recruiting a VA on an ad-hoc basis, using platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, or Facebook groups. Many ask for cheap and a ‘few hours per week.’ While these methods might seem convenient, they often lead to more challenges than solutions.

 

Why Cheap and Minimal Hours Don’t Work

1. Lack of Commitment: When a VA is only working a few hours a week, they’re likely juggling multiple clients. This means your business doesn’t get the focus and consistency it needs, leading to inconsistent results and slower progress

2. Quality vs. Cost: You often get what you pay for. A lower rate can mean less experience, lower-quality work, or a lack of specialised skills. While there are affordable VAs who do excellent work, prioritising cost over quality can result in more time spent fixing errors and less strategic progress.

3. Limited Impact: A few hours per week barely scratch the surface of most marketing tasks. Creating quality content, managing social media, handling email marketing, and tracking analytics all require dedicated time and attention. With limited hours, your VA might only be able to complete the bare minimum, leaving many crucial tasks untouched, e.g., sales-focused activities.

4. Training Investment: Even if you find a great VA at a low rate, you still need to invest time in training them to understand your business, strategy, and tools. If they’re only available sporadically, the time you spend training them might not feel worthwhile, and you could end up constantly repeating yourself.

5. High Turnover Risk: VAs who charge very little and work minimal hours often move on to higher-paying, more stable opportunities. This turnover can leave you in a constant cycle of hiring and retraining, which is both exhausting and disruptive.

6. Lack of Proactive Strategy: A VA who only works a few hours a week often doesn’t have the capacity to think proactively or bring new ideas to the table. Instead of being an active participant in your business growth, they become a reactive worker, merely completing tasks as assigned. They also tend to do what they did for their last client, which may not work for you.

 

Why Going Ad-Hoc Can Be Risky

• Mismatched Skills: You may end up with someone who doesn’t have the practical marketing skills you actually need.
• Lack of Commitment: Freelancers often juggle multiple clients, so your business may not be their priority.
• No Cultural Fit: Ad-hoc hiring often overlooks personality alignment, leading to communication issues.
• High Turnover: Constantly replacing VAs due to poor fit wastes time and resources.
• Lack of Accountability: If they drop the ball, there’s no recourse.

 

The Benefits of Using an Agency

• Rigorous Vetting Process: Agencies ensure candidates meet skill requirements.
• Skill Matching: You get someone who is both technically proficient and culturally aligned.
• Training and Support: Agencies often handle onboarding and ongoing training.
• Reliable Commitment: VAs from agencies are committed and accountable.

 

What You Really Need

Rather than focusing on finding the cheapest option or limiting hours, consider investing in a VA who can commit to your business, understands your strategy, and takes ownership of their tasks. It’s about having the right person in the right seat, someone who becomes a valuable extension of your team rather than just a part-time task-doer.

With the right investment and approach, your VA can actively contribute to your business growth, driving productivity and helping you scale without overwhelm.

We can connect you with reputable agencies that prioritise both skills and cultural fit, so you don’t waste time and resources. Simply CONTACT US

 

3. Plan Their Daily Activities and Schedule

A structured weekly plan, like our Marketing Implementation Framework, helps VAs stay on track and manage time effectively. It includes a flexible but structured approach to allocate daily and weekly tasks. Consider a 20-hour week as four hours per day and clearly define which tasks need to be completed each day.

 

Examples of Daily and Weekly Tasks

Some examples of tasks that VAs might manage include:

• Content Creation and Scheduling: Social media posts, reels, and community management.
• Email Marketing: Campaign creation, sequence management, and reporting.
• Lead Generation: Outreach, appointment setting, and CRM updates.
• Reporting and Analytics: Weekly EOW meetings to discuss wins, challenges, and progress.
• Training and Development: Use training time to upskill through strategic marketing sessions.
• Strategy, Research and Planning: Allow time for marketing development 

 

4. Set Up Your Systems and Communication Channels

Your VA needs to be properly integrated into your systems from the start. Use project management tools for task allocation and a communication platform like Slack for daily check-ins. Manage passwords securely with LastPass. Allocate “Variable Time” slots for overflow or urgent tasks without sacrificing key activities.

 

5. Share Your Business Handbook

Provide a comprehensive handbook that covers:

• Business mission, values, services, and pricing.
• Branding kit, key messages, and USPs.
• Competitor analysis and industry insights.

 

This helps VAs understand your business beyond just the tasks they perform.

 

6. Offer Live Training and Create SOPs from the Start

In their first week or two, dedicate at least one hour daily for live training. Record these sessions and create SOPs for future use. This way, your VA will have a reference library to rely on, promoting consistency and self-sufficiency.

 

7. Establish Regular Check-Ins

Schedule recurring meetings to maintain communication and track progress. A Monday check-in sets priorities, while a Friday wrap-up reviews accomplishments. Checking work and giving feedback is fundamental for ongoing growth. I’ve often seen unseen work from VAS months later only to notice it was not how it should have been, but the business owner never looked. This routine fosters open dialogue and continuous improvement.

 

Empower Your VA and Your Business

Hiring and onboarding a marketing VA is not just about filling a gap—it’s about setting your business up for sustainable growth. By following these steps, you can ensure your VA is not only productive but also aligned with your business goals.

 

 

Ready to take the next step?

 

• • Download our Marketing VA Task Checklist to identify what marketing tasks you can outsource (I bet you find 20 hours worth) 
  • Book a call to discuss your next steps
  • Visit our Empower Your VA webpage

 

Complete the contact us form to be introduced to an awesome VA agency we use and trust. 

 

With the right systems, training, and support, your marketing VA can become an invaluable asset, helping you scale without the stress.