Hiring a virtual assistant is becoming increasingly popular for streamlining and saving money for real estate agents.
There are many benefits to hiring a real estate virtual assistant worker, such as giving them responsibility for all those time-consuming administrative tasks to let you focus on generating more money for your company.
However, when you hire a virtual assistant, you must provide them with high-quality training to ensure they meet your company’s standards.
This article provides a step-by-step guide to the essential things you must follow when training your virtual assistants.
1 – Required Skills for Real Estate Virtual Assistants
Hiring a virtual assistant for your real estate business can prove tricky because working in the industry requires specific skills.
For example, when you hire a virtual assistant with excellent communication skills and general skills like dealing with emails, phone calls and scheduling appointments, they must know how to use software such as Microsoft Office.
In addition, they will have to understand the correct terminology needed when working within the real estate world.
Knowing which correct terminology to use when writing and answering emails to clients is vital for any successful virtual assistant.
2 – Training Options For Your Real Estate Virtual Assistant
Hiring a virtual assistant requires you to provide high-quality training so that they can be successful within the real estate industry.
Many real estate virtual assistant training courses are available so the person you hire is up to speed on everything they need to know to succeed.
You could sign your hired VA up for an online training course; for example, Amanda Kolbye’s Laptop Lifestyle Bootcamp is a 12-week course or other similar courses.
Alternatively, you could provide on-the-job training for your new hire where you set up your in-house training course.
This option allows you to train the VA to your company’s specific requirements, and there is the added advantage of them gaining experience and performing tasks simultaneously.
3 – On-the-Job Training
The main advantage of on-the-job training is that your real estate assistant learns as they work.
Real estate virtual assistance work requires time and patience to perfect; therefore, providing a shadow and mentorship programme from the start is an excellent idea.
Shadowing is when your new hire watches and learns from an experienced worker to see how they perform their role and know which methods the company requires.
Mentorship goes a step further, assigning an experienced team member to mentor your VA for a set period, setting targets to meet, and offering more formal advice when needed.
An advantage of on-the-job training is your VA can be productive and learn the best practices that suit your business, but the daily task can get in the way of quality training.
4 – Formal Training Programs
A wide range of formal training programs are available to those providing virtual assistant services. For example, the REA University course offers insight into the real estate industry and comes with a certificate.
Then there is a course called Icenhower Real Estate Coaching which is helpful for those who want to improve their virtual assistance skills.
You may prefer to hire someone to conduct in-person courses virtually, where specific skilled areas, such as social media management and lead generation, are taught, which are beneficial in the virtual assistant role.
Formal training programs prove costly but give your VA a broader overview of what is needed as a virtual assistant for a real estate agent.
5 – Certifications
When you hire a real estate virtual assistant, you may sign them up for professional industry certification programs.
Programs such as the Certified Real Estate Support Specialist (CRESS) and the Real Estate Virtual Assistant (REVA) formally display that they are trained and knowledgeable about customer service, marketing and financial transactions.
The advantage of having these certificates is that it formally demonstrates your VA can do the job, but the disadvantage is how much it costs the company.
6 – Best Practices for Real Estate VA Training
When hiring virtual assistants, you must have a clear training pathway.
For example, you will need to provide some form of formal or on-the-job training if you want to get the best out of your VA.
Also, moving forward, your VA must see clear training opportunities available if they want to upskill in certain areas.
For example, your VA may need to improve their skills in social media marketing; therefore, you will need to set goals and objectives and provide training in this area. You can also rely on smart VA tools that can help them perform optimally.
Doing so will benefit your VA and your business and show that you encourage them and want them to succeed within your company.
Call Us For Help With Training And Managing Your VAs
High-quality training is a must within the real estate sector; sometimes, finding the best virtual assistant course suitable for your business needs is tricky.
Often providing your company with in-house training isn’t an option either, but it is vital that your VA is fully trained and up to date with real estate laws.
Call us today for a free consultation to learn how we can save you valuable time and money by looking after all your training needs.
We can also hire, train and manage a team of VAs that will be available within days to take on admin tasks.
