Staff Writer

Ants are typically viewed as pests. They bite, crawl and consume any bit of food that has been left out for too long. We often ignore, however, how well ants work together as a unit. According to askabiologist.com, an ant colony is a closely knit family consisting of the queen, workers and brood.

Worker ants play a crucial role. Younger worker ants take care of the queen inside the nest; older worker ants are the hunters, gathers and protectors. The queen creates the family, but the worker ants help keep that brood alive.

All entrepreneurs work with at least one other person to form something analogous to an ant colony. A virtual assistant tends to be a pivotal part of this team. Anyone who has worked with a good virtual assistant knows that this crucial team member is a godsend.

Entrepreneurs rave about how their virtual assistants have changed their lives. Chief among these changes is the increase in time to do what they must do for their business. It’s like they’ve found the best worker ant in the bunch. If you’re one of these entrepreneurs, it’s important for you to express your gratitude for this crucial team member.

Administrative Professionals Day, which will be celebrated on April 24 this year, is one of the best opportunities for you to show how much you appreciate your virtual assistant. Businesses across the world will celebrate the work of the administrative professionals who hold things together each work day.

You may be thinking that it’s easier to celebrate Administrative Professionals Day with people who work on site. Think again! Here’re some simple and budget-friendly ways for you to thank your virtual assistant on April 24.

Sign her up for an Executive Assistant Conference.

Professional development increases the chances of success in any field. Gifting an all-access pass to one of the best Executive Assistant Conferences of 2019 is a gift that will last a lifetime. Your virtual assistant will learn new skills and return with strategies for helping your business grow.

Additional conference options include:

One of the reasons this gift option is at the top of our list is that it’s an investment in your virtual assistant’s growth. As Parth Misra puts it, “The best companies have always understood that [they] need to go above and beyond to find what their employees are looking for and deliver it.” Each team member appreciates a leader who cares about their professional development.

Download our Ultimate Guide to Delegating Here for More Tips & Tools on How to Delegate as a Solopreneur

Amazon gift cards are a safe go-to.

There are 300 million Amazon.com users and chances are your virtual assistant is a part of this number. Amazon is the behemoth of online shopping, the place where shoppers can find any product from A to Z. An Amazon gift card removes the stress of trying to find the right gift for your virtual assistant. Instead, she can use it to buy anything she desires.

Another benefit of Amazon gift cards is that they can be sent as electronic gifts. You can purchase an e-gift card and send it instantly to your virtual assistant’s email address. It’s a quick and simple transaction that allows your virtual assistant to use her gift instantly.

Purchase a magazine subscription.

Virtual assistants are often avid readers. A Pro Magazine and Virtual Assistant Life Magazine are two of the top magazines related to virtual assistants. Other possible magazine options include:

Fast Company
Entrepreneur
The New Yorker

These magazines provide useful tips and information for your virtual assistant to succeed. Each magazine has either a monthly or annual subscription option. Therefore, you can choose to give your virtual assistant one month free or surprise her with a full year. Regardless of your choice, she’ll appreciate this thoughtful gift.

Host a virtual pizza party.

Does your virtual assistant love pizza? Distance separates you from her so hosting an on-site pizza party would be impractical. Thankfully, there’s a solution that bridges the gap…a virtual pizza party.

A virtual pizza party is a nifty way to treat your virtual assistant to something fun. Here’s how it works.

Pay for a pizza to be delivered to your virtual assistant.
Order your favorite pizza and take it to your office space.
Call your virtual assistant using your preferred medium (Skype, What’s App, Face Time and so on).
Crank up the music and have fun eating pizza and laughing together.

Your interactions with your virtual assistant don’t have to focus solely on business. Use a virtual party to throw some fun in the mix while expressing how grateful you are for all she does.

Send a Greetabl.

Thank you cards are so old school! Greetabl disrupted the greeting card industry by creating a personalized gift that serves as a greeting card, gift box and photo experience. Here’s what you’ll need:

Pictures of your virtual assistant (pictures of both of you together would be ideal).
A specially crafted message.
An idea of the types of treats she likes so that you can choose from Greetabl’s diverse selection.

The cost of the Greetabl depends on the type of box you choose, the gift you choose to include in the box and the message and pictures you include. However, it shouldn’t cost you more than 25 bucks.

Purchase a month or more of Spotify or Pandora.

Music streaming is a great way to stay focused while doing virtual assistant duties. However, subscriptions to these services can become costly in the long-term. If your virtual assistant likes music, you can purchase either a monthly or annual Spotify or Pandora subscription for her.

She can use her subscription to stream music from her favorite artists, share music with friends and fall in love with new music. Keep your virtual assistant grooving with one of these useful subscriptions. She’ll appreciate the gift.

Praise her on social media.

Public praise is a good way to show appreciation to team members. Some team members are extrinsically motivated and need that public display of approval to maintain their mojo. However, public praise shouldn’t be done in isolation; it should be accompanied by good leadership practices.

Praising your virtual assistant on social media is simple. Here’re the steps:

Create a stunning graphic using Canva or hire a graphic designer to create one. Link the graphic to Administrative Professionals Day and make specific reference to your virtual assistant.
Use the caption of the post to write a glowing referral about your virtual assistant.
Tag her in the post and prompt your followers to hire her if they need her services.

Not only have you publicly shown appreciation for what she has done, but you’ve also potentially referred new clients to her. This can make a huge difference in her professional growth. What a powerful way to show gratitude!

Treat her to a night out at the movies.

The old adage, “All work and no play makes Jill a dull girl,” is applicable to your virtual assistant. She works tirelessly to ensure that your professional needs are met. A gift that allows her to relax and unwind is one way to help your virtual assistant achieve that balance.

A movie ticket voucher is one such gift. Your virtual assistant may not be a person who watches movies often, but she’ll visit the movies if given the opportunity. Sweeten the deal by buying tickets for her and her loved one and she’ll be even more appreciative.

If she’s into fitness, purchase a gym membership.

Regular exercise positively impacts mental and physical wellness. Your virtual assistant may be one of those persons who appreciates this fact and regularly goes to the gym. Treat her to a 3-month, 6 month or one-year membership at her local gym. It’s an investment in her overall health that will help her continue to be the awesome virtual assistant you love.

Purchase a gift voucher for a meal at her favorite restaurant.

Business Insider cites research from the Pew Research Center showing that eating food away from home contributes to a larger share of total spending. For some, it’s much easier to purchase a quick meal than spend 30 minutes or several hours cooking. Your virtual assistant may be someone who falls into that category.

Treat her to a meal at her favorite restaurant. Some restaurants facilitate the purchase of e-vouchers which can be emailed to the recipient. Find one of the best restaurants in your virtual assistant’s area, purchase a gifts card and send that gift card to her.

Hold up! What can you do if you don’t have the right virtual assistant on your team?

A big assumption was made when writing this article. We assumed that you already have a virtual assistant who you’re excited to have as a part of your team. After all, you wouldn’t be searching for ways to show gratitude if that wasn’t the case.

However, there could be a flip side to this. You could be a part of the 1 percent who’re searching for ways to show appreciation to their virtual assistants because they’re hoping that this will improve the virtual assistants’ performance. That’s your first mistake.

The real problem may be one of the following:

You may not understand what to expect when working with a virtual assistant. Read this article to find out.
Your hiring process may be flawed. We’ve got the solution! Read this article to learn how to hire a virtual assistant.
Cost has been the sole determinant when hiring a virtual assistant. Remember, cheaper doesn’t necessarily mean better. Learn more about the cost of hiring a virtual assistant versus a full time employee by reading this article.

The gifts you purchase on Administrative Professionals Day should be a genuine show of appreciation for the work your virtual assistant does. If it’s a desperate attempt for you to get more out of her, forget it! You may need to find a new virtual assistant using the tips we outline in the articles mentioned above.

Showing gratitude on Administrative Professionals Day doesn’t have to be hard.

Administrative Professionals Day is a way to applaud the efforts of one of your key team players…your virtual assistant. Sure, you want to give her a nice gift without breaking the bank. That doesn’t mean that you must spend countless hours trying to figure out the best gift for your virtual assistant.

We’ve simplified the process for you by providing 10 cost-effective ways to thank your virtual assistant. You can use one or a combination of these suggestions. Feel free to share other unique ways that you show appreciation to your virtual assistant.

Finally, don’t use Administrative Professionals Day as a desperate attempt to con your virtual assistant into doing what you want. If you’re one of the people who falls into this boat, think carefully about who you’ve hired. You may need to go back to the drawing board using the knowledge you’ve gained from our virtual assistant articles.