Thinking of Becoming a Virtual Assistant? 5 Facts You'll Want to Know

Hi Everyone,

So, you're seriously thinking that becoming a virtual assistant might be right for you. Check out the article below to get insight on some of the unique traits of this business.

And remember...

Sieze the Day!

- Jean


Starting a home-based Virtual Assistant (VA) business has many similarities to starting any other type of home-based business. It also has several unique features that you should clearly understand before you begin. When you become aware of these five unique business traits, you'll be able to research the profession with your eyes wide open and decide if being a VA is right for you.

1. What is a Virtual Assistant anyway?
Every VA's first and most prolonged challenge is that Virtual Assistance is a profession that is in its infancy and it still rare to meet prospective clients who know what a VA can do for them. In order to convert prospective clients into paying clients you'll need to do a lot of educating about what Virtual Assistance is and how it can support businesses. Some self-employed entrepreneurs know they need help but they can't fathom receiving that support virtually. You'll need to become well-versed at how you can make their business lives easier and communicate that message ongoingly until it sinks in.

2. You say tomato….
There are as many potential VA services as there are VAs and VA clients. Figuring out what it is you can do best and where you want to focus your services is imperative. Clearly define what you do (and what you won't do) and your potential clients will be more likely to understand how you can help them.

3. Your call is important to us.
When I first started as a Virtual Assistant, many of my clients assumed that because I was 'virtual' and sat at my computer all day that this must mean I provided computer technical support. This confusion is common and can often be difficult to train your clients that what you do is different than tech support. If you wish to provide computer technical support in addition to your VA services, that's fine too. But know what you're getting into first.

4. The two-headed monster.
Any self-employed entrepreneur with a home-based business can tell you that when you become self-employed you need to become practiced at two very different skill sets. The first is being good at what you do for your clients. The second is being an entrepreneur. This includes doing all the things it takes to juggle multiple clients and take care of your business as the same time. Often we are fantastic at the first skill, but dismal at the latter, leaving our own bookkeeping piling up for months or years, feeling stymied by the marketing we need to do to fill our practices or finding ourselves under-charging for our services. Having a coach or a VA mentor is a great way to become skilled at both these essential business elements.

5. Is anyone out there?
Even for those of us who are introverted, working alone at home five days a week can lead to thoughts of running away and joining the circus just to have some interesting company for a change. You will need to build a strong community of peers around you and schedule time to get out of your home-office and interact un-virtually with others. Fortunately there are more VA organizations and associations, both virtual and not, popping up all over the globe as the profession gains notoriety and visibility.

Armed with these five points in mind, I hope you'll be more able to clearly decide if building a Virtual Assistant business is the best next step for you. Working at home as a VA is a tremendously rewarding and fulfilling occupation for many. If you choose to join us, welcome!

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About the author:Alexandra Amor is the author of e-books that help Virtual Assistants build successful businesses, FAST. Sign up to receive The 20 Essential Virtual Assistant Success Habits at http://www.virtual-success.com .

Virtual Assistants – The Top Ten Things A VA Can Do For Your Business

Hi to all!

So...you're wondering what kind of things that a virtual assistant can do for any given business. Take a look at the top 10 things below and see if your skill set matches any of these. Be creative and don't forget that being a mom and running a household gives you lots of opportunities that can easily be used in the business world.

Sieze the Day!

- Jean

Have you ever wondered, “What exactly is that virtual assistant that you keep hearing so much about?” The answer is simple. A virtual assistant, or VA, is an administrative professional who provides immediate professional support, services, and skills to busy entrepreneurs and business managers via the Internet.
But “What can a virtual assistant do for me?” is a little more complicated. The ways in which a VA can help you and your business are as unique and diverse as the individual VAs are themselves. To help narrow down the possibilities, the virtual assistants at the Virtual Assistant Networking Association (VAnetworking.com) forum, http://www.vanetworking.com were asked to list the top 10 things they could do for their clients. This is what they said.

1. A VA can assist you with marketing support, increasing you clientele and freeing up valuable time to service your customers. They also can handle all your marketing and publicity helping you to spread the word about your product or services.

2. Many virtual assistants specialize in web design and search engine optimization. Once you work with a VA, they know your business inside and out, who better to help you prepare your website.

3. A virtual assistant can make your next presentation shine by giving it that polished professional presentation which is sure to capture your audience and promote all your products and services.

4. A virtual assistant can be instrumental in proofing, editing, and typing all your correspondence, pleadings, manuscripts, etc., thus allowing a more professional edge to all your business communications.

5. A virtual assistant can take over all your bookkeeping, bills and accounts payable. Let them worry about payroll so you can worry about the important tasks of running your business.

6. A virtual assistant can plan your next company event or outing providing for an enjoyable and memorable time for all. Think how much more enjoyable it can be when the burden of planning is removed.

7. Because VAs work on an “as needed basis” and only when you have work, hiring a VA can save you money. Clients only pay for the work done, and don’t have to pay for benefits, equipment, or supplies. What a cost savings that can be.

8. A VA can save you space because s/he works from his/her office as an independent contractor.

9. Hiring a VA can save you time because you will not have to spend time hiring an employee or temporary help, as well as training the new staff.

10. A virtual assistant can schedule your appointments, manage your calendar, organize your desk, and make running a business that much smoother.

Tawnya Sutherland is the founder of The Virtual Assistant Networking Association Forum (VAnetworking.com), the largest member based Virtual Assistant global networking community for aspiring and successful Virtual Assistants online. She states, “By bringing “the best of the best” of virtual assistants to the VAnetworking.com Community, we make it easy for clients to partner with successful VAs.”

Basic VA Info

Hi current and future virtual assistants!

I wrote a short article on some basics of the business so you can start getting in the mind set of what this business can do for you. Stay tuned for future posts on great resources you can use to help you decide if this is a business for you and how to get started.

Sieze the Day!

- Jean

How to Start a Virtual Assistant Business

If you`re looking to make some extra money working part time, then becoming a virtual assistant could be for you. It`s a great way to work from home and is particularly a good source for work at home moms who want to stay with their children, without giving up the option to earn money.

What Is a Virtual Assistant?

A virtual assistant is exactly what it sounds like, someone who works as an assistant to a person or business, but online. There are a number of duties that are performed, everything from data entry and research to contacting potential clients and writing articles. The work is varied and can be quite interesting for anyone who gets bored doing the same old thing all the time.

The benefits of business are many when you run your own. Becoming a virtual assistant will allow you to set your own hours and decide just how much you need to earn. If you are only looking for a little extra money, then you can keep your hours down to a minimum, only taking on a client or two, but if you need more work, it`s out there.

Starting a virtual assistant business doesn`t require any special skills. If you can use the Internet, Word and Excel, you can become a virtual assistant and start working part time from home. It`s a great way to earn a living while setting your own hours and doing what you enjoy.

Welcome to my VA Blog!

Hi Everyone and welcome to learning how to become a successful virtual assistant. With the current state of the economy, many people are looking for ways to bring in some additional cash. Why not capitalize on your existing skills and learn how to become a virtual assistant?

So what is a virtual assistant?

"A Virtual Assistant (VA) is a highly-trained independent entrepreneur who provides a myriad of business support services virtually via phone, fax and Internet based technology to support and meet the growing needs of businesses worldwide.
Partnering with a VA reduces stress, protects cash flow, eliminates administrative hassles, and enables business people to find the success they originally set out to achieve.
A VA is your right hand person helping you to succeed in your business. The irony is you may never meet your VA as odds are they live nowhere near you!"

*Source: Virtual Assistant Networking Association Virtual Assistant Definition The Largest Global Meeting Place Online for Aspiring and Successful Virtual Assistants

This industry is growing by leaps and bounds as many business owners, real estate investors and Internet Marketers seek to build their virtual teams and grow their businesses. This is a great opportunity for moms who are looking to establish a home-based business that they can run on their own schedule. Some of the typical assignments could include: human resource administration, writing services (technical or creative), business/employee communications, proofreading and editing, research (online or traditional), word processing, spreadsheets, data entry, database management, message management, scheduling, bill paying, simple website design, newsletter distribution, bulk mailing, reminder services, event planning, special projects, and concierge services (list provided by: Liz Dougherty in the article Become a Virtual Assistant).

Stayed tuned for posts that will help you start and grow your business and remember,

Seize the Day!
- Jean