Designing beautiful spaces comes naturally to you as an interior designer. But handling admin and business matters—well, that's another story. Chances are you're a proud solopreneur but as your interior design business grows, it could be worth hiring a virtual assistant. Behind the scenes of every great design is a myriad of menial tasks—what tasks can an interior design assistant help with exactly? Client communications, product sourcing, 3D renderings, concept boards—essentially if you hire the right VA, they can do whatever it is you need to free up your time.
Interior design entrepreneurs looking to scale their businesses are often restricted by too much time spent on day-to-day admin, hiring a virtual interior design assistant can change that and help you take your interior design business to the next level.
How does a virtual interior design assistant help interior designers?
Admin, bookkeeping, marketing, social media management, client comms—being an interior design entrepreneur means wearing a lot of different hats! A virtual interior design assistant can share the load and gift you back time to spend doing what you do best: designing.
With the help of a VA, you'll have more time to commit to improving your designs, establishing a presence in the media and potentially taking on more projects—hello increased profits. And crucially, employing a virtual interior design assistant will help protect you from burnout. You're at your most creative when you're well-rested and unstressed. Let a VA lighten the load to keep you performing at your best.
Is hiring a virtual assistant for my interior design business cost-effective?
As mentioned, hiring a virtual assistant frees up time for you to focus on growing and scaling your interior design business. Yes, short-term hiring staff is a big investment but long-term it is sure to pay off in dividends.
Your other options for bringing in help are hiring a junior designer or in-person assistant, but a virtual assistant is the most budget-friendly way to bring in an extra pair of hands. There is no need to make room for them in an office, support travel costs or provide tools like a laptop—as your VA will work from their own home, which by the way could be anywhere in the world! Hey, that's an extra dollar saved for you!
How to hire a virtual interior design assistant
Like any other business, finding the right personal assistant to work with you can be tricky. Follow these steps to ensure you're hiring the right VA for your interior design business.
- Utilise reputable sites to search for candidates. Save yourself time and ensure the quality of applicants by posting your job description on reputable sites like UpWork, LinkedIn, and eVirtual Assistants.
- Prepare a detailed job description. Are you looking for specific skills or expertise? Make sure to write it down to attract the right candidates.
- Ask the right questions. An interview is the most important step in the hiring process, above anything you need to see whether you and your potential VA click. Try asking these questions to ensure they're the right match for your interior design company:
- What are your strengths and weaknesses as a virtual assistant?
- What is your preferred communication method?
- How do you stay organised when you have multiple active projects?
