If you order a burger and fries from a McDonald's restaurant in Hawaii, you may think that you are sitting in the drive-through talking to someone taking your order inside the restaurant, but you actually could be talking to someone working out of a call center in California!

How can that be? The Internet is quickly transforming the world into a virtual marketplace where certain personnel can work anywhere in the world and deliver local services … even for fast food restaurants. McDonald's management has figured out that by outsourcing jobs they used to have to hire someone to do in-house, they can save several seconds per order and slash their payroll costs at the same time.

If a fast food restaurant can do it, think of how easy it would be for you to add a virtual assistant to your staff.

What is a virtual assistant?

Virtual assistants are freelancers who generally market their services on the Internet, but they are usually much more than assistants. They can handle anything from entering data to designing and managing websites to processing payroll, producing marketing materials, and doing your taxes. And because they're freelancers, you simply buy as much work as you need and pay a flat hourly fee or by-project fee.

Better yet, because the person is a freelancer, you do not have to handle the messy details of adding the person to your payroll as an employee. You simply cut the person a check when necessary and then have your accountant prepare and send the person a "1099" at the end of the year, showing exactly how much you paid. You are not responsible for withholding taxes, paying into worker's compensation, or covering the costs of other benefits.

What can a real estate virtual assistant do for me?

Most virtual assistants specialize in a certain field -- writing, editing, Web design, transcription, database management, accounting, you name it. Many specialize in serving the real estate industry. Here is a short list of what a qualified virtual assistant can do for you:

• Build an online transaction-management system

• Design feature sheets and post cards

• Implement a drip e-mail program

• Create CMAs

• Update websites with new listings

• Design and maintain your blog

• Provide sellers with feedback from showings

• Manage leads

• Manage email

• Record IVR listings (800#)

• Enhance listings on Realtor.com

• Prepare holiday mailers

• Order closing gifts

• Screen phone calls

• Assemble pre-listing packages

• Design and personalizing listing presentations

• Research properties

• Update calendars and schedules

Where can I find virtual assistants?

Because virtual assistants conduct most of their operations online, you can find them on the Internet. Use one of your favorite search tools, such as Google, to search for "real estate virtual assistant," or simply search for "virtual assistant," if you are looking for more general help.

You can also locate virtual assistants with experience in the real estate industry by visiting any of the following sites:

• REVA Network

• International Virtual Assistants Association

• Virtual Assistant Networking Association (VANA)

Whether you have more work than you and your current staff can handle or are simply looking for ways to save time and money, a virtual assistant can be the perfect solution. Virtual assistants provide you with the resources you need to scale up and scale down your staff at a moment's notice. I strongly encourage you to look into this solution today!