Did you know you can become a virtual assistant from home and help small businesses and entrepreneurs with various tasks?
Do you have great typing skills? (Sadly, I don’t).
Are you really well organized? (I’m not particularly).
Can you multi-task and juggle several clients’ needs at once?
Then, my friend, you could start a new life and a new business as a virtual assistant.
Think about this… imagine waving ‘Goodbye‘ to your corporate cubicle to become a virtual assistant and work where and when you like.
Wouldn’t that be great?
Well, the future looks good for this type of work, especially if you can multi-task and have strong skills as a typist, graphics creator, web designer or customer service support.
If you’re sitting in a corporate cubicle dreaming of the day when you can escape from your boring 9 to 5 daily grind read on…
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure page for more info.
One way to escape the cubicle jungle is to start working for yourself. You’ll find this type of work is exploding. I read a very good article from The Week about the increasing growth of the virtual assistant industry.
This isn’t surprising with the number of digital tasks and content required by businesses large and small worldwide.
In fact, according to the US Small Business Association there are almost 30 million small businesses in the USA.
Remote working (or working outside of an office environment) is becoming more popular and can mean a completely different lifestyle for you, where YOU decide when and where you work.
There are almost 30 million small businesses in the USA
The good thing is, you really don’t need any fancy equipment to start a new career or business as a virtual assistant.
In fact, all you need is:
- a particular skillset (we’ll cover this later)
- a fast Internet connection
- and of course, a computer
But… before you tell your boss you want to quit your boring job, let’s look at some of the steps you need to take to ensure your success as a virtual assistant.
5 Easy Steps to Become a Virtual Assistant & Work From Home or Anywhere!
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1. What does a virtual assistant do?
Virtual assistants are freelancers or contractors who offer their services to clients while working from home, or anywhere they choose to work.
One of the main tasks for most virtual assistants is to have access to the client’s shared documents, files, and calendars necessary to perform their tasks.
The most popular areas virtual assistants are involved in are:
- email correspondence
- blog updates
- making phone calls
- social media updates
- accounting
- bookkeeping
- data entry
- graphic design
- internet research
- copywriting
- website design
- website maintenance
- editing
- translation services
- customer support
Now, that’s a LOT of stuff to deal with on a day to day basis, right?
So, depending on your own skills and experience, it might be wise to choose those tasks where you feel confident to start with and not offer too many services at first.
2. How to get started as a Virtual Assistant
Gina Horkey from FullyBookedVa.com also offers a course called Jump Start – 4 Quick Steps to a Virtual Assistant Business course designed to help you get going.
What you’ll learn in this course includes:
In less than an hour of your time with this short, online course and they’ll provide a simple step-by-step approach to help you figure out if being a VA is right for you!
You’ll walk away with a basic understanding of what it takes to get a virtual assistant business up and running and they’ll give you a preview of the teaching methods they’ve used to help countless numbers of students become successful VAs!
3. Any start-up costs or equipment needed?
Not really, there’s a good chance you already have the equipment you need if you’re looking to become a virtual assistant. You’ve probably already got
- a phone
- a computer
- a scanner and printer
- a fast Internet connection, so no overall extra costs needed.
But if you really want to become successful and to make a lot more money, it might be wise to invest in professional equipment.
A simple blog or website can help you attract a lot of clients.
- You’ll need to pay a few dollars a month for a web hosting account like Bluehost, to create your own website or blog, but it will pay for itself over and over again.
- A decent combined printer and scanner can be a good investment. Also, as you’ll be spending hours at your desk it’s worth considering the benefits of an ergonomic chair to improve your posture.
- You’ll want a headset when you connect with your clients via Skype, you’ll find many reasonably priced headsets here if you’re just starting out.
Managing business calls at home
To protect your privacy and give a more professional service (and avoid the kids answering the phone) it’s always a good idea to have a separate phone line for business.
Nowadays ZOOM works really well for connecting with clients.
4. Marketing your services as a virtual assistant
There’s quite a lot of competition in the VA industry, and you have to provide exceptional services to stay afloat.
Remember, to reach out to potential clients, both online and in person.
5. Marketing ideas to make money as a virtual assistant
- Create a Facebook page
- Create a Twitter account
- Join a LinkedIn group
- Join a Yahoo Group
- Leave flyers in gyms, community and business centers
- Put an ad in your local paper
- Join local networking clubs
6. Where can you find work as a virtual assistant?
Here is a list of just some of the places you can find work as a virtual assistant and work from anywhere you choose!
- UPWORK for Virtual Assistants
- GURU for Virtual Assistants
- FREELANCER (All Freelance Skills)
- WORKING NOMADS
- BELAY
- HIRE MY MOM
- FIVERR Virtual Assistants