Starting A Business As A Virtual Assistant
Are you thinking about starting your own virtual assistant business? VA businesses are booming right now, and with good reason—they offer a great way to work from home while enjoying the freedom and flexibility of being your own boss.
Over the last few years, more and more people are figuring out that working from home is the way to go. Skyrocketing gas prices, the Coronavirus, inflation in general, and instability in the job market are just a few of the reasons why finding a business model that you can work from your kitchen table is becoming a viable option.
Not all the reasons are negative though. The ability to make more money working from home, spending more time with your family, or being able to earn a full-time income working part-time hours are all very attractive alternatives.
Let’s take a look at what’s all involved in starting a virtual assistant business, as well as some tips for getting started.
What is a virtual assistant (VA)?
First, it’s important to understand what a virtual assistant is and what they do. A virtual assistant, or VA, is typically an independent contractor who provides administrative, creative, or technical support to clients remotely.
This means that they work from home, or from another location outside of the client’s office. But, for the sake of this post, I want to focus on the working from home part.
VAs are often used by small businesses or entrepreneurs who don’t have the time or resources to hire a full-time in-house staff member and the demand for them is growing by the day.
The scope of work for a VA can vary greatly, depending on the needs of the client. Some common tasks include managing email and calendars, scheduling appointments, making travel arrangements, preparing presentations, handling customer inquiries, managing social media accounts, and providing general administrative support.
There are a ton of options, many you have probably never thought existed. Feel free to check out this extensive list of almost 300 niches that you could focus on.
If you’re interested in starting a business as a virtual assistant, the first step is to decide what services you want to offer and what your niche will be. Do some research to find out what types of VAs are in demand and what kinds of skills and experience potential clients are looking for or what you may already have experience in.
Being open to learning new skills on the fly is also an option as long as you communicate this to potential clients as many of them can be easily picked up in a couple of days’ time. All you have to do is get detailed instructions on what they want you to do and then using a source like YouTube to learn more about how to do it effectively may be all you ever need to expand your expertise.
What are the benefits of being a VA?
Some of the main benefits of being a VA include having flexible work hours, working from home or any other location, and setting your own rates. You can also specialize in a certain area or type of work, which can help you attract more clients.
Imagine not having to worry about wasting time commuting back and forth from a J-O-B or not having to request time off for a Dr. appointment or to go to one of your kids’ sporting events.
Wouldn’t it be nice not to have to worry about filling up your gas tank every week (have you seen the current price of gas)? For example, between my wife and I, we are spending around $110 a week to fill up our tanks! That’s $440 a month just to drive to our jobs! It’s pretty crazy if you really think about it.
You can also decide when you want to work. While you will have deadlines to meet, in most cases, you can choose when you want to do the work throughout your day or night.
The thought of being your own boss alone is a massive benefit as well. Not having someone looking over your shoulder is enough of a reason alone to consider a VA business.
It really comes down to this… you are in complete control on how much you want to make! If you just want to make this a side hustle where you are only looking for a little extra income, you can do that. If you want to massively grow to the point where you are hiring other virtual assistants you can do that as well.
You can make this as big or as small as you wish and no one is going to give you a hard time about it!
How much do VAs charge for their services?
By offering your services as a VA, you can build up your client base and eventually earn more money than you would at a regular job, and depending on how hard you push, this can be accomplished in a much shorter time frame than you think.
But how much do VAs charge for their services? The answer to this question depends on a number of factors, including the type of services you offer, your experience, and the market you’re in. In general, VAs charge an hourly rate for their services but if you know how to do it, you can demand a flat salary every month, more on how to do this in a minute.
The average hourly rate for a VA is $35-$50. However, rates can range from $20-$100 per hour, depending on the VA’s experience and the type of services they offer.
If you’re just starting out as a VA, it’s important to consider what type of services you can offer and how much you’re willing to charge for them. Once you have an idea of your pricing, be sure to set up a contract with your clients that outlines the services you’ll be providing and your rates. This will help to avoid any misunderstandings down the road.
Tips for starting a successful VA business
In order to be successful and grow your VA business, it’s important to maintain focus, set goals, and plan your activities wisely. Here are some tips that you will want to keep in mind:
1. Determine what services you will offer. The first step in starting any new business is identifying the services that you can provide and marketing them effectively to potential clients.
2. Build up your skills and experience. Once you know what services you’ll be offering, it’s important to build up your skills and experience in those areas. If you’re not already experienced in the administrative tasks that you’ll be performing, consider taking some online courses or attending workshops to learn the ropes.
3. Create a portfolio of your work. When you’re starting out as a virtual assistant, it can be helpful to create a portfolio of your previous work to show potential clients. This will give them an idea of the quality of your work and help them decide if they want to hire you for their own project.
4. Market your services effectively. In order to find clients for your new business, you’ll need to market your services effectively. Consider using social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to connect with potential clients, as well as posting your services on freelancing sites like Upwork or Fiverr.
5. Set goals for yourself and make a plan to achieve them. One of the keys to starting a successful VA business is maintaining focus on your goals and planning your activities accordingly. Whether you’re working towards building up a client base or growing your revenue, setting clear goals will help you stay on track to achieving the results that you want from your business.
By following these tips, you’ll be able to start a successful business as a virtual assistant and grow your new company over time! But, how do you find that hold you by the hand blueprint on exactly how to do this?
How Do You Become A VA?
If you’re looking for a way to start your own business, becoming a virtual assistant is a great option. You can offer a wide range of services to clients, both locally and globally, and the best part is that there are many benefits to being a VA. From flexible working hours to earning an income on your own schedule, the opportunities are endless.
If you need some help getting started, I highly recommend checking out my complete breakdown of my top recommended VA course online. With this course, you’ll have everything you need to get your business off the ground and running smoothly.
Start by figuring out what areas you want to focus your business on then learn how to go out there and find yourself some clients! With this course, it’s entirely possible to have your first paying client in under 30 days!
Starting a business as a virtual assistant is one of the best businesses to develop from the comfort of your own home. Your next step is to check out my review of this amazing course and learn everything you will ever need.