Last year I was beginning the process of building my business to the next level, going from an unassisted agent to finding some great team players to help me be the rainmaker and get away from the process of the closing procedures.

While I interviewed some "live" people in my area, nobody seemed to have a real fit. The conflict I was running into was meeting with licensed assistants who were interested in becoming their own solo agent someday, clearly a conflict with my goals of building a team. The other problem I was seeing was the clear risk of sharing business secrets if they were to come work for me, and then go elsewhere.

I have built my business on the unique Internet marketing strategies and didn't want to "give" that away.

At the Allen Hainge Cyberstar conference in Phoenix in 2005, I was introduced to the Virtual Assistant concept. Upon returning I implemented the hiring of one person to do lead follow-up and management. She had more ideas than I could have ever thought about, and began implementing them immediately. We have tweaked the system here and there, and it is now humming right along. My business increased dramatically by being able to leave the "incubating" of leads to her, while stimulating my business to generate more.

A few months ago I obviously now needed the same kind of help for transaction management. I found a great REVA who specializes in just that aspect of my business, and now my transactions are neatly put together with lots of follow-up and contact with the clients, something I knew was falling through the cracks before.

You can "virtually" build an entire team this way, and I suspect I will be adding to my team with more specialty assistants.

Obviously my competitors locally are completely baffled by this idea, but the more they become aware of it's power, the more I'm sure they will begin to implement the same systems.

Where did you find these assistants? I found them through Kim Hughes with Allen Hainge, who teams with other VA's

What responsibilities would you turn over to an assistant? Transaction management and lead incubation? I would turn over marketing, such as publishing, ordering mailing campaigns, the list might be endless

What parts of the job would you never turn over to an assistant? Speaking to the clients at the first point of contact (unless I am out of town and unavailable), to describe talking points of Albuquerque, costs of living -- the promotional aspect that needs the team leader touch.

What is the cost/benefit to your business? Much more cost effective than a full time assistant in house, as you are only charged for the time that VA is spending on your file. So, if you have no closings, you have nothing to owe a transaction management VA, and if you want marketing to stop awhile, you can just stop. No employee problems -- they are independent contractors/service providers. No hard feelings if you have to "move on" to another VA -- you aren't their only source of business.

How much more money are you making with assistants than last year? How many more transactions? I doubled my business.

At what point do you think you will have enough business? Where is the end of the rainbow? That is up to you.

Published: February 17, 2006

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With over 20 years in the real estate and mortgage industry and over 8 years as a real estate virtual assistant Kim Hughes is considered the leader in supporting real estate agents in order to achieve their goals by providing a variety of services to agents depending on their specific needs. Some of these services include direct and Internet marketing, coaching, listing management, lead management and daily organization. Kim is also major spokesperson for the real estate virtual assistant industry and is a co-founder of IREAA.com the first real estate virtual assistant organization that offers training to on-site assistants and virtual assistants. IREAA offers an RFP program so agents can find a VA who offers the services they need to succeed. Learn more about Kim by visiting www.KimHughes.com.