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!

Published: September 17, 2007

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Ralph R. Roberts, CRS, GRI is an award-winning and internationally recognized real estate agent, author, coach, and speaker. Throughout his career, Ralph has proven his commitment to helping other real estate and sales professionals build upon their past and present success, grow and expand their businesses, and provide a rich and rewarding future for themselves, their customers, their employees, and their families. As president and CEO of Ralph Roberts Realty, Ralph has personally helped thousands of consumers realize their dream of homeownership. While selling over 10,000 homes (and buying and selling over 3,000 investment properties) throughout his 30-year career, Ralph has made the time to mentor and coach hundreds of professionals in real estate, sales, and a host of other fields. Ralph is a recognized authority on Real Estate and Mortgage Fraud; Residential Real Estate; Personal Salesmanship; Sales Force and Office Management, Motivation, Design, and Team Building; and Foreclosure Self-Defense and Loan Modification, fields in which he has demonstrated his commitment to preserving the American Dream of Homeownership. Ralph's numerous websites, blogs, seminars, and speaking engagements engage, entertain, and educate both consumers and professionals. Ralph is also an accomplished author with several successful titles to his credit, including: Power Teams: The Complete Guide to Building and Managing a Winning Real Estate Agent Team Financing Real Estate Investments For Dummies (John Wiley & Sons) Mortgage Myths: 77 Secrets That Will Save You Thousands on Home Financing (John Wiley & Sons) Foreclosure Self-Defense For Dummies (John Wiley & Sons) Protect Yourself from Real Estate and Mortgage Fraud: Preserving the American Dream of Homeownership (Kaplan) Foreclosure Investing For Dummies (John Wiley & Sons) Foreclosure Myths: 77 Secrets to Saving Thousands on Distressed Properties (John Wiley & Sons) Advanced Selling For Dummies (John Wiley & Sons) Flipping Houses For Dummies 52 Weeks of Sales Success (John Wiley & Sons) Walk Like a Giant, Sell Like a Madman (John Wiley & Sons) Cross-Cultural Selling For Dummies (John Wiley & Sons) To learn more about Ralph, visit AboutRalph.com, check out his daily insights on real estate and mortgage fraud prevention at FlippingFrenzy.com, or visit his latest blog dedicated to helping distressed homeowners fight foreclosure, KeepMyHouse.com. You can reach Ralph at or by calling (586) 751-0000.