It's 8 p.m. and you have just updated your accounting ledger and put the final touches on tomorrow's big client presentation. But you're still stuck behind your desk licking envelopes for the invitations to your client meet-and-greet holiday party while simultaneously holding a conversation with your travel agent. You mutter "blechhh" into the phone after the 15th time you taste glue, and your travel agent asks "What? Too high a fare?"

If you can relate, you're due for a personal assistant. Sure, you say - you'll hire one right after you get that personal trainer and personal chef. But thanks to a rapidly growing service field known as virtual assisting, you can get nearly all the same services provided by an in-house personal assistant at a fraction of the cost.

The first big distinction between a regular in-house personal assistant and a virtual personal assistant (VA) is that a VA completes your office tasks from their own office. They do this by using typical communication methods such as the telephone, fax machine, and, of course, the Internet.

VAs can take your calls, prepare documents, manage databases, handle sales and Internet marketing projects, manage your mail flow, book your travel arrangements, and keep your schedule. The only thing a VA could not handle, given the distance, is paper filing and getting your coffee.

With a little creative collaboration, like having your calls automatically forwarded to your VA's office, or establishing a P.O. box at their location, your VA can be based hundreds of miles away from your office. I have even come across VAs who offer such specialized services as designing and regularly updating your Web site and creating PowerPoint presentations.

The second distinction is that a VA is not a temp or your full-time employee. A virtual assistant is a contractor. You won't need to provide any office space, purchase any equipment, or offer any benefits.

Fees can range from $15 to $40 per hour, depending on geographic location. A VA based in Los Angeles, for example, will likely charge a higher hourly fee than one in a more remote region of the country. Some may offer a discounted rate if you agree to use a minimum amount of hours each week.

Though it usually doesn't matter where a VA is located, it can in some cases. If your VA will be scheduling your local off-site appointments, for example, you'll want one who lives in your area and knows how long it takes to drive from point A to point B.

A good way to locate an experienced VA is through a VA community such as AssistU (www.assistu.com) or the International Virtual Assistant Association (www.IVAA.org). As with any hire, make sure to check the VA's references.

And above all, take your time to get to know a VA's personality before you hire them. The best VAs are often the ones who take an interest in your particular business and take great pride in watching it grow.

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