By its very nature, photography is an in-person job. After all, you either need to go somewhere – or have people come to you – in order to take pictures. In this industry, it may not seem practical to hire a virtual assistant.
As any photographer knows, however, being successful in this business requires far more than simply snapping some great pics. You also have to handle a lot of tasks in the office, like coordinating appointments, marketing, invoicing, and managing emails. A photography virtual assistant can handle these tasks and more, for a fraction of the cost of hiring an in-person employee.
At Tasks Assistant, we are proud to offer the highest quality virtual assistant services to all types of businesses and professionals – including photographers. Our virtual assistants can take on many of the mundane tasks that are necessary to run a successful photography business, leaving you to focus on the creative work. Reach out to learn more about the services that we offer for photographers and other creatives.
Why Should You Hire a Photography Virtual Assistant?
Assistants perform a vital role in all types of companies. They can take on all types of duties, from answering telephones and taking messages to scheduling appointments to performing basic bookkeeping. They are ultimately responsible for helping an organization run efficiently.
In the United States, a full-time assistant earns a median salary of $39,680 per year. On top of their wages, employers are responsible for many other expenses, including providing a computer and workstation, payroll taxes, workers’ compensation, and more. While an assistant can perform a range of valuable tasks, many small businesses simply cannot afford to pay a full or even part-time employee to do this work.
As an alternative, many companies have turned to virtual assistants to perform these jobs for a fraction of the price. A virtual assistant works remotely, which means that you don’t have to find a desk or a place for your assistant to work. As independent contractors, they are only paid an hourly wage (starting at just $4.99 per hour) for the hours that they work. You won’t be responsible for taxes, insurance, or benefits. It is an affordable way to get the help that you need for a fraction of the cost.
When you outsource some of the more tedious, time-consuming tasks to an assistant, it can leave you free to focus on growing your business. This is particularly important in a field like photography, where creativity drives success. Instead of spending countless hours scheduling, responding to emails, or filing, you can focus on the things that fuel your passion AND make your business more profitable, such as finding great places to shoot, perfecting your technique, and coming up with great ideas to entice current and prospective customers to schedule a shoot.
Ultimately, hiring a virtual assistant for a photography studio is a smart financial decision. It is a far more efficient use of your time and energy as a professional to have someone else take on jobs like data entry and sending emails. Hiring a virtual assistant can also help your business grow and thrive.
What Types of Work Can a Photography Virtual Assistant Do?
A virtual assistant can handle almost any task that can be performed over a computer. While they can’t stand next to you and help you with lighting or the correct lens, they can do a number of other jobs. This includes:
- Scheduling consultations with clients, including appointments to view their pictures once completed;
- Sending and responding to emails, including creating emails for marketing purposes;
- Answering the phone using a VOIP and taking messages;
- Responding to client calls;
- Utilizing and inputting information into a client management software system;
- Performing basic research on locations, weather, and other issues that may affect your shoots;
- Handling contracts, invoicing, and expenses;
- Organizing and managing digital files;
- Sending thank you notes and/or gifts to clients;
- Coordinating travel for destination photography;
- Writing blogs for your website;
- Promoting your business by implementing your marketing plan;
- Posting to social media, including client pictures, interesting photos, and upcoming specials and events;
- Managing search engine optimization (SEO) using Google Analytics
- Updating your website;
- Tracking down vendor information so that they can be linked on your social media and/or website;
- Submitting your work to be featured in blogs, magazines, or photography competitions;
- Performing basic photo editing using Photoshop and other tools (you may want to do the major editing yourself);
- Adding watermarks to your photos before posting them online on social media, your website, or in client galleries;
- Uploading, formatting, and sending galleries to clients;
- Assisting clients with ordering photographs and packages;
- Following up on orders; and/or
- Helping with other income streams, such as photography courses.
If there is something else that you need your assistant to do, they can be trained to handle it for you. When it comes to the type of work that your photographer virtual assistant can do, the sky truly is the limit.
How Can I Hire a Virtual Assistant for My Photography Business?
At Tasks Assistant, our goal is to make it as easy as possible to hire a virtual assistant. THe process starts with a consultation with a member of our team. From there, we will analyze your business’ specific needs so that we can choose a virtual assistant that is best suited for your company.
We employ a number of virtual assistants who have specific experience in creative fields such as photography. Our assistants are based in Mumbai, but can work across time zones. Whether you want your assistant to answer phones during standard office hours or to organize your digital files while you sleep, we can make it happen.
Once you have been assigned a virtual photography assistant, you can have a conversation with them about the work that you need them to do. They will use your preferred platforms for email, file organization, photo editing and other tasks to ensure that their work is as seamless as possible. Cloud-based technology ensures that everything is immediately available to you when you need it.
All of our virtual assistants go through a rigorous interview process, which includes a thorough background and reference check. We also conduct compliance spot checks to make sure that our virtual assistants are trustworthy and are handling your private information securely.
If you need to talk to your virtual assistant, you can schedule a time to chat online or send them an email. This system is set up to maximize efficiency and make sure that you are getting the services that you need.
All of our assistants work on an hourly rate that starts at just $4.99 per hour. You will never have to sign a contract or pay a start-up fee. If you aren’t satisfied with your assistant’s work, you will not have to pay their fee.
Ready to Get Started? Reach Out Today!
Being a successful photographer requires more than skill and a great eye. You also need business sense and attention to detail. If you don’t have time to do everything necessary to keep your company running smoothly, then a virtual assistant may be a great choice for your photography business.
Tasks Assistant works with small and medium sized businesses throughout the world. We understand that not every company can afford to hire full-time employees to handle duties like data entry, scheduling, and responding to emails. Our virtual assistants can handle a range of tasks, starting at just $4.99 per hour. Offering high quality work and low rates, our virtual assistants are a cost-effective way to get additional support in managing your business.
To learn more, give us a call at 1-888-557-8678. You can also send us an email or Skype us at Support-TA at any time.
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