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One of the simplest ways to figure from the house is by doing virtual assistant (VA) work. Virtual assistants are skilled, home-based professionals that provide companies, businesses, and entrepreneurs administrative support. Virtual assistants perform an excellent sort of task… actually, the services you offer are endless, and everyone depends upon your background training, experience, and skills.
Here are some everyday tasks that virtual assistants complete:
- Making phone calls
• Email correspondence
• Internet research
• Data entry
• Scheduling appointments
• Editing
• Writing
• Bookkeeping
• Marketing
• Blog management
• Proofreading
• Project management
• Graphic design
• Tech support
• Customer service
• Event planning
• Social media management
Employee or entrepreneur — which route is correct for you?
When you work as a virtual assistant, you’ll prefer to work as an employee; otherwise, you can find your own business. There are pros and cons to each arrangement. When you work as an employee, you do not need to invest any money upfront or find your clients, but your rate of pay, work hours, and the way you’re employed will be more restricted. Please note, if you’re hired as an independent contractor or a freelancer — you are considered self-employed and will need to pay quarterly self-employment taxes. When you found out your own business, you’ve got more flexibility with scheduling, choosing clients, and setting your rates, but you’ll even have to seek out your clients, set up your business, and pay self-employment taxes. Setting up a virtual assistance business is straightforward and has relatively low start-up costs. Some items you’ll need to get started are a phone line or cell phone, a computer, high-speed internet access, a printer, a scanner, and a website to market your business. Don’t worry — you’ll find an internet site during a few easy steps for small to no using WordPress.
For a complete checklist of steps — check out this article.
Where do you find virtual assistant jobs?
- 24/7 Virtual Assistant
- Assistant Match
- Belay
- Fancy Hands
- Freelancer
- FlexJobs
- People Per Hour
- Red Butler
- Time Etc.
- Uassist. Me
- Upwork
- VaVa Virtual Assistants
- Virtual Assistant USA
- Virtual Staff Finder
- Worldwide 101
- Ziptask
- Zirtual
How much do virtual assistants earn?
Depending on what services you offer, how long you’ve been working within the field, and your experience, virtual assistants can make anywhere from $12 – $60 per hour. If you’re running your own VA business, there are a couple of alternative ways that you can charge for your services; by the hour, by the task, project, or package – explore what options work best for you and your clients.
What training do you need?
While you do not need any special training to figure from home as a virtual assistant, you are doing good organizational and time management skills and excellent communication skills. There are some virtual assistant training programs and certifications. These are often helpful in establishing your credibility within the field, especially if you do not have any prior job experience.
Virtual assistant resources and courses.
- 30 Days or Less to Virtual Assistant Success
- Become a Virtual Assistant
- International Virtual Assistant Association
- check out this article
Want to start your own VA business?
Like any other home business, you’ll get to educate yourself on the most straightforward business practices, file all of the proper paperwork, and obtain your legal and financial ducks during a row. Once you found out the preliminary business framework, you’ll start performing on the fun parts of your business.
Choose a niche.
You’ll offer many various services, but even something more to think about is who would you wish to figure for? While some VAs are generalists and work on a good sort of task, it’s easier and more lucrative to settle on a specialty. Deciding what niche you would like to specialize in is often a challenge, but if you mind-map your passions, interests, experience, and knowledge, you’ll narrow it down relatively quickly.
Still uncertain? This list features a bunch of services you’ll offer which will assist you in determining your specialty.
Build a website.
To be competitive as a virtual assistant, you would like to possess an internet site. Having a web presence will assist you in attracting more clients; it gives you an area to showcase your work, list your services and testimonials and causes you to look more professional. Don’t be concerned; fixing an internet site is straightforward and affordable. This post has step-by-step instructions that will have you ever up and running in no time — and it’s cheap!
Market your business.
There are plenty of ways to market your VA business; the thing you would like to recollect is consistency is vital. Choose two to 3 methods that you think you’ll enjoy doing and spend time every day performing on those methods.
Not sure of your options? Here are just some of the ways you can market your business: 
- Social media
- In-person networking
- check out this article
- Blogging
- check out this article
- PR opportunities
- Public speaking
- Guest blogging
- Print advertising
- Forum participation
- Email prospecting
- Facebook groups
Now that you’ve to get your website in situ and you’re actively marketing your business, it is time to attach with potential clients. Some experts believe you ought to follow up with five to 10 new prospects each day until you’ve got a continuing flow of clients in your pipeline.
Invest in your VA business.
As your income builds, you’ll want to reinvest a number of it into professional development. Luckily, they’re events, conferences, webinars, teleconferences, online courses, books, membership sites, mastermind groups, and training sessions – there’s something to suit every budget and each niche. By investing in yourself and your business, you gain the knowledge, information, and skills to form your freelance business a hit.
Starting your own VA business could seem sort of a faraway distant dream – but if you’re taking the primary step, you’ll make it a reality. Good luck on your journey!
You’ll Also Love These Posts:
Studies have shown if you like this blog post — you will also love the following articles.
- How to Stop Charging by the Hour and Create Packages to Level Up Your VA Business
- What You Need to Know About Starting a Virtual Assistant Business
- How This Single Mom Became a Virtual Assistant from Home
Holly Reisem Hanna is the publisher and founding father of The work on Home Woman, which has been helping individuals find remote careers and businesses that feed their souls since 2009. Through her unconventional career path of holding over 30 jobs and obtaining two college degrees, she’s been ready to find out the way to find a career path that you’re genuinely hooked in to. Holly’s had the pleasure of sharing her expertise on sites like CNN, MSN Money, Huffington Post, Woman’s Day Magazine, also as being recognized by Forbes together of the “Top 100 Websites for Your Career.” Holly resides in Austin, Texas, and her husband and daughter and enjoys reading, traveling, and yoga.
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