FEBRUARY 7, 2023

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Welcome to The Tilt, a twice-weekly newsletter for content entrepreneurs.

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Why and How of Virtual Assistants

A regret of successful creators?

They didn’t hire help earlier for their content-first business.

That too-long timeline likely happens for one or more of these reasons. You:

• Don’t want to spend money when you’re not making enough to even support yourself.
• Don’t think you need help because you have the skills to do all the necessary tasks.
• Don’t have a moment to think about how to get things done; you’re just getting them done.

But waiting to hire help can delay growth or, worse, lead you to become so overwhelmed you quit working on the business. Take a few minutes this week to consider the concept of a virtual assistant – someone who provides services to clients while working remotely. With the help of the ChatGPT tool, I pulled together this list of potential services:

• Administrative tasks – data entry, email management, calendar schedule, and document preparation
• Audience and customer service – responding to inquiries, comments, complaints, etc.
• Marketing assistance – social media management, email marketing, content creation
• Business operations – invoicing, expense tracking, financial reports
• Project management – project planning, research, and execution
• Research – conducting online research, compiling data, interviewing sources
• Content creation – writing articles, shooting videos, finding images
• Tech support – troubleshooting, backing up data, maintaining software licenses

In many cases, they operate as independent contractors – a good arrangement for entrepreneurs who aren’t ready to invest in a traditional hourly or salaried employee and all the regulatory (taxes, etc.) requirements in that model. Of course, as independent contractors, they can decide when and how to get the work done (in consultation with but not mandated by you.)

Deciding what your virtual assistant does: Figure out what you don’t like to do and/or what you’re not the best at. Now, pick the top one to three services that could be practically outsourced.

Determining what to pay: Many virtual assistants earn between $10 and $40 an hour, depending on the skillset required. While you can set up per-project payments, ongoing support from a virtual assistant usually works better with a retainer model – you agree to a set amount of hours (per week or per month) at an established hourly rate. (This Complete Guide to Pricing is written for virtual assistants but helpful to those who hire virtual assistants.)

Hiring a virtual assistant: Now you’re ready to craft the job description – a company overview, position description, skills required, and why they want to work for your business. Don’t forget to explain how to apply and set a deadline for submissions. (I like a cover letter/note so I can see how well the person communicates and understands the job description.)

Consider conducting a paid test or pilot project to assess their skills in real time. Finally, ensure you enter into a written contract with the virtual assistant that spells everything out. With the contract signed, your virtual assistant can begin, and you can breathe at least a small sigh of relief.

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​– Ann Gynn

​For more help in hiring a virtual assistant, read the full article.​
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Entrepreneur: Tamkara Adun

Biz: Odunife Global​

Tilt: Decolonizing teaching of African history

Scene: Website, courses, books, Patreon, newsletter, merch, language coaching and consulting, Instagram (29.5K)

Snack Bites:

• Tamkara found an untapped content tilt – learning about the history of Africa taught from a decolonized perspective.
• She started her research to help her children but ended up sharing on an Instagram account that eventually led to her owned media property.
• A diverse revenue stream, including online courses, a newsletter, and coaching, contribute to making her business a success.

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​Why We Stan: Tamkara used a social media channel to start her business, but she built it on owned land. She also took advantage of content marketing, connecting with thought leaders and writing guest blog posts to reach and attract an audience.

– Ann Gynn

​Learn more about Tamkara Adun's journey by reading the full story.​

Know a content creator who’s going full tilt? DM us. Or email tilt@thetilt.com.

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• Need more help with your social media strategy? Try Later, a social media management platform for every social network. Plan, analyze, and publish content in advance — so you can save time & grow your business. Create your FREE account today!*
• Joe discusses sponsorship models and why another angle on the limited-inventory model may be the answer for creators. (Content Inc. podcast)
• This week the boys discuss more ChatGPT news and comment on earning reports. (This Old Marketing podcast)
• ​Will any of these three things prevent your startup’s success? (Forbes)
• ​Legal mistakes to avoid in a startup. (Jumpstart)
• We need your help for our annual creator economy study.

*The Tilt receives a small commission if readers (at no additional cost) make a purchase using this link.

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Your team for this issue: Joe Pulizzi, Pam Pulizzi, Ann Gynn, Laura Kozak, Marc Maxhimer, and Dave Anthony.