Virtual Assistant


I seem to have sparked a lot of interest in the Virtual Assistant field. It is after all one of the fastest growing home-based businesses today. This isn’t a fluke thing; it’s happening because companies large and small are finally embracing the fact that it’s smarter and more cost effective to outsource much of their work. There’s a high demand for assistants with specialized skills to do the various time-consuming tasks that business owners don’t want to do.

Becoming a Virtual Assistant (VA) doesn’t necessarily require specialized training depending on the services you offer. You can build a highly successful business without any certifications at all.

What it is and who it’s for:

How to Become a Virtual Assistant walks you step-by-step through the process of starting and operating your very own VA business.

How to Become a Virtual Assistant is for anyone looking to work from home. It’s for those who want control over their schedules, who want to decide how much they earn per hour, who wants the freedom to take a day off when they want. How to Become a Virtual Assistant really is for everyone.

What You Get:

The How to Become a Virtual Assistant course includes:

•2 hours of audio outlining everything from getting a business license to keeping your clients happy.
•Accompanying workbook with notes
•5 customizable website templates to get you started
•A professional newsletter template so you can stay in touch with your readers and clients
•A video critique of a new VA’s website to show you how to optimize your site for maximum results.
How to Become a Virtual Assistant is full of real advice by real virtual assistants who have found success. They offer this information so you can avoid costly mistakes.

What you can expect to learn:

How to Become a Virtual Assistant teaches prospective Virtual Assistants everything from how to set up their business to how to keep clients coming back for more. It walks you through choosing domain names, hosting and even offers website templates so all you have to do is fill in your content. It covers how using a blog and a newsletter can help increase your business and you’ll learn about price and payment options, advertising, contracts and retainers.

What it costs:

How to Become a Virtual Assistant sells for $47.00. A worthwhile expense when you look at what you’ll be earning as a Virtual Assistant.

Take a look for yourself, you’ll see what I mean:  Virtual Assistant Starter Kit

 

productpicture-va

If you are looking for more information on becoming a Virtual Assitant or on what a Virtual Assitant does, please visit my other blog, where I have a lot more information. Go Here.

two-phonesI have had a number of inquiries now into exactly what is a Virtual Assistant, so, let’s look at it a little closer.

What is a Virtual Assistant?

Every business can use some help from time to time. Virtual assistants have created a niche in the area of business assistance, they help your business grow while helping their own business grow. This is a perfect job for the work at home mom (WAHM).

A virtual assistant is a business owner. Their goals are the same as yours. They want to grow their business and make money by providing a viable product. In the case of a virtual assistant, the “product” is actually a service to other business owners.

The virtual assistant handles administrative work and other details as dictated by the client. Virtual assistants are hired by the hour and can earmark a certain number of hours per month to a client for their work. They have several clients but make their reputation on treating each one like the only one.  You as a wahm decide how many clients you want to service and how many hours you are going to work.

Who Needs a Virtual Assistant?

All businesses need some type of support. Even with small businesses, there are enough administrative duties to prevent anything else from getting done. A virtual assistant can make all the difference.

A virtual assistant helps the small businessperson to run and even increase the profitability of their business. Virtual assistants handle the daily work leaving the business owner free to market and grow the business.

Home-based businesses compose a large section of the small business world. The only physical office is the one in their home. A virtual assistant can work wonders in this type of arena as well.

A Virtual assistant can set up an office in their home. With the wonders of the Internet, he or she can be half a world away and still deliver your work on time. They have a wealth of resources available to them.

A virtual assistant is not a glorified secretary. In fact, they represent a growing population of executive assistants who are coming into their own. Virtual assistants can manage the work of a business that can’t be handled by the owner. And, this doesn’t include fetching coffee. (except for yourself!)

Virtual Assistant Skills

A virtual assistant survives first and foremost on her skills. Why should a client hire you over the other candidates? Playing to your strengths will lead to the niche that can set your virtual assisting business apart from the rest.

Many small businesses and larger ones for that matter, have an online presence to increase business. Managing that enterprise as well as other business ventures can be a lot to handle. Having a skill set that involves the Internet will interest clients looking for someone who can maneuver around in cyberspace.

Website skills are not learned overnight. They require overcoming a learning curve and in some cases, lots of classes. Many individuals are in search of people skilled in this area. The plus for a virtual assistant lies in the fact that these skills are not the only ones that they can market to a potential client.

Maybe you can type, transcribe, master Microsoft Office tools, and respond to emails. These are valuable skills but, the secret to being a successful virtual assistant is providing skills beyond what is proven to be “customary.” If you have to, return to school and take a few classes to increase your skill set. Even a novice can succeed if they have the right skills and the drive to be a virtual assistant.

If you are a work at home mom (wahm) and you have skills that you believe could benefit an internet company just starting out, or maybe even a huge internet company looking for assistance, why not start your own Virtual Assistant business, you just might make it rich!

If you would like more information on becoming a virtual assitant please go to my webpage www.workathomemom247.com

How to Start a Virtual Assistant Business from the Comfort of Your Home

Many administrative professionals and others who wish to work at home offer their services online as a “Virtual Assistant”. Virtual Assistants (also known as VA’s) provide a wide range of traditional office services and more from a remote location instead of a traditional nine-to-five job. VA’s can charge anywhere $10-$50 an hour for their services, depending on the services they offer

If you have a good general knowledge of office management or have a skill that business owners need, you can start a Virtual Assistant business without too much hassle. There are generally few start up costs and maintaining the business is quite simple.

Here are some tips to help you get started:

· What Services Will You Offer? – It’s important to know what services you can offer and how before you offer them. Are you a good typist? Do you feel comfortable speaking on the phone with others? Are you good at making event and travel arrangements for others? Do you have web development skills? These are some of the things that a Virtual Assistant does in the course of their working relationship with the clients that hire them.

· Put Together Business Plan – Before you take the big step of starting a Virtual Assistance business, you will need to write a business plan that includes an overview of your business, marketing and financial plan. To help you put together your plan, decide what services to offer and more, pick up a copy of your Virtual Assistant Starter Pack”

· Setting Up Your WAHM VA Office – Make sure you have a separate work area, free from background noise and where you keep your client information secure and organized. You’ll want to have a good desk, a separate telephone line with answering machine and invest in a late model computer and other office machines including a scanner, copier and fax.

You’ll also need to ensure you have all the software required to provide the services you’ve decided to offer. If you’re starting on a budget, simply ensure that, at minimum, you have the supplies and tools you need to do the job well. You can always upgrade or get new equipment and software as you need it.

· Marketing 101 -Along with getting business cards, letterhead and address labels professionally prepared, you should set up a website that will serve as your virtual office potential and current clients can visit. Add information about your services, contact information and testimonials once the work starts coming in. To get started, you might offer some service free to select business owners in return for feedback and to build your portfolio as a service business tends to really build through word of mouth.  Just because you are a work at home mom (WAHM) doesn’t mean you should not look professional.

With a good skill-set and a plan in place, just about anyone can set up a successful Virtual Assistant e-business.  It is actually the perfect job for the wannabe WAHMer.

Recommended Additional Resource:

To get a full overview of what you need to start your Virtual Assistant business, how to set up your website, market your business and keep your clients, check out the Virtual Assistant Starter Pack”. You’ll learn from two professional VAs who share their success strategies, allowing you to cut your learning curve and get your business profitable much more quickly.