When a task comes back wrong, it's tempting to blame the person who did it. But most of the time the problem started with the instructions. "Can you tidy up the spreadsheet?" means something very different to you than it does to someone who's never seen it before.
Clear instructions are the fastest way to get great work from your virtual assistant. Here's a simple format that works for almost any task.
The five-part task brief
1. The goal: why this task matters
Start with one sentence on the purpose. "We're cleaning up the lead list so the sales team can call the hottest leads first" helps your VA make good decisions when something doesn't fit the steps exactly.
2. The steps: what to do, in order
Write numbered steps, one action per step. Include where to find things: links, file names, which tab of the spreadsheet. If a step needs a judgment call, say how to decide.
3. An example: what good looks like
Show a finished example: a past email you liked, a product listing that's formatted correctly, a report you'd be happy to send. Examples remove guesswork faster than any amount of explanation.
4. The deadline and priority
"By Thursday 5 PM my time" is clearer than "soon". If your VA has several tasks, tell them which one comes first.
5. What "done" looks like
Be specific: "All 50 listings updated with new prices, and a list of any products you couldn't find." This makes the work easy to check, and easy for your VA to know when they're finished.
A quick example
Before: "Please post on Instagram this week."
After:
Goal: Promote our weekend sale and drive visits to the store.
Steps: Use the approved photos in the "Sale" folder. Write three posts using the caption style in the examples doc. Schedule for Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at 6 PM.
Example: Last month's "Summer Sale" posts.
Deadline: Drafts ready for my review by Tuesday.
Done: Three posts scheduled after I approve them.
Tips that save even more time
Record your screen. A five-minute video of you doing the task is often better than written steps.
Turn briefs into SOPs. Ask your VA to save each brief and update it as they learn. Over time, you'll build a library of standard procedures.
Invite questions. Make it clear that asking is better than guessing.
Keep the conversation on the task. Feedback and questions are easier to follow when they sit with the work, not in a separate chat.
Five minutes writing a clear brief can save an hour of back-and-forth.
Briefing your Raketor in RaketBase
With Virtual Raket, every task lives on the shared Project Board in RaketBase. You can add a request, attach notes and chat right on the task card, so the instructions, questions and finished work all stay together. When your Raketor is done, the task moves to "For review" for your approval.
Want to see how it works? Book a discovery call and we'll walk you through RaketBase.
