Looking for a career where you could work independently on your own terms and yet earn a profitable return? Then virtual assistance will be just right for you!
By being a virtual assistant, you will be self employed and able to serve multiple clients all over the world, work on multiple projects and yet conveniently operate from your location of choice. With your unique skill sets, you will be expected to perform the tasks of a part-time or full time assistant and stay at the top of all the admin as well as business related responsibilities of your client. Wondering if you have what it takes to be a virtual assistance? No worries! In this blog, we’re laying down all the essentials you will need to know in order to become an outstanding VA!
Research & Assess your Skill Set
Being a virtual assistant entails a lot of responsibilities. Hence, it is important to know exactly what you’re getting into, and if you have the necessary skill sets. So, before venturing into the VA business, conduct a thorough research about the VA industry and what kinds of tasks are needed to be done by a virtual assistance. This will give you a proper insight on the job itself.
Next, you need to assess your own skills and see if they match the requirements of the job. For instance, in order to be a good virtual assistant, you need to have a working knowledge of handling & organizing emails, phone calls, calendars and appointments. You must be adept at internet research as well as basic marketing & social media engagement techniques. Also, having an additional skill like content writing or web designing is a boon, as it increases your worth as a VA! Once you know your skill set, you will be able to design the services you can offer your clients.
Set up a Good Work Environment
You may be operating remotely, but you need to have the proper equipments & facilities in place in order to aid a smooth flow of work. So, first up, arrange for all the necessary equipments like a desktop or laptop computer with up-to-date software, a fast and stable internet connection, a telephone connection, and also external hard drives for storage backup, so that your computer doesn’t slow down due to lack of memory. Also, make sure you have a designated office space, even if you’re operating from your home. This keeps the professionalism intact and also provides you with a distraction free work zone for maximum productivity.
Find a Niche & Decide your Services
There are numerous kinds of VA’s out there, providing different services. In order to stand out in that crowd, you need to specialize in a niche. Would you like to focus on being mostly a virtual secretary? Is being a specialized marketing assistant or a social media guru more up your alley? Or are you a content specialist who can provide admin assistance on the side? Once you know your niche, you can then enlist the services you’re willing to offer your client and brand yourself accordingly. This in turn, will draw in clients looking for exactly what you’re great at!
Create a Plan
Just like any other career, you need to have a clear plan in this one as well, in order to be successful. Decide on how many days a week you’re willing to work and for how many hours. Work out if you’re going to work on a freelance basis or would be comfortable working with a virtual assistance company. Also, have a plan about your finances, including any insurances you may need to buy, taxes you’ll need to pay etc. With a clear plan of action, you’ll have an easier time going about your work and will be able to manage your business and personal time seamlessly.
Set Fair Rates
Simply put, your rates should reflect your level of expertise as well as industry experience. Do some research and find out what the going rates are in the VA industry. Accordingly decide on what you’re going to charge. Don’t end up setting too low rates and undervaluing your skills. You’re providing expert help to people and hence, you should be compensated accordingly. You can either set your fees on an hourly, project wise or retainers’ basis. Also, remember to revise you fees at regular intervals, once you’ve achieved a certain level of experience and number of clients in the industry.
Market your service
This is a no brainer. Once you have your basics in place, it’s time to spread the word and be visible out there as a virtual assistant. You can join various VA networking groups, collaborate with existing VAs and share referrals. You can send pitch emails to your email list (start building one, if you don’t have it already!), and talk about your services on various social media platforms or even blog about virtual assistance!
Provide Reliable Services
A successful virtual assistant is the one his client can completely rely on. Keep your clients in loop regarding the progress of the project you’re working on, communicate with them clearly about the work & timelines and always be prompt in your responses. This will help your client trust you better with their tasks and thereby form enduring business relationships, and plenty new referrals as well!
Stay Up to Date
In order to stay at the top of your game, you must keep learning! Learn about the new developments and trends in the VA industry, upgrade your skill set and even diversify your capabilities. Learn new skills so that you can be even more valuable to your clients, which in turn will ensure you earn more money as well!
So follow the above steps, and venture confidently into a glowing career as a successful virtual assistant! Want to know first-hand how virtual assistance works?
Take our free trial at TASK VIRTUAL and find out!
