Tips to Start a Virtual Assistant Business
The virtual assistant’s business is rapidly growing and organizations are becoming open to hire VA. The growth and affordability of technology, along with the increase in the number of solo-entrepreneurs, has created a need for virtual support staff.
Pros to Starting a Virtual Assistant Business
There are many pros to starting a VA business including:
• It’s fast and affordable to start, especially if you already have the skills, equipment and software to do the work.
• While you should have skills and experience in the services you provide, you don’t need any specific licenses or education to get started.
• You can decide which services to what industry you want to provide, whether it’s general support to anyone who needs it or something more specific and/or niched, such as social media management to Realtors.
• You can create your own schedule. Many clients will want people to work in regular business hours, but if you want to work midnight to 6 a.m., you simply need to find clients on the other side of the world.
Cons to starting a Virtual Assistant Business
The VA business has some cons which are:
Unless you have a network or know someone ready to hire you, getting your first client can be challenging. Many websites can help with this, but often pay lower fees than you may want to charge.
You have to stay on top of current technology and trends in the services and industries you offer.
You’ll be trading time for dollars, which means there will be a limit to the amount of time you can give and income you can earn.  You can offset this by putting together and managing a team of VAs.
1. Create a menu of services. VAs do writing, emailing, customer support, calendar management, bookkeeping, marketing, website maintenance, project management, and more. Focus on the skills you have and enjoy doing. You can focus on one service, such as transcription or you can provide many services.
2) Make a list of potential clients. If you have names, list names. However, if you don’t know anyone who may need your services, list markets. For example, Realtors, lawyers or solo-entrepreneurs. You can tailor your business to fit an industry, such as real estate, or provide the same service across several industries, such as email management for speakers and online entrepreneurs.
3) Create a business plan. The business plan doesn’t need to be a tome, but it does need to cover all aspects of your business from what you offer and to whom. There has to be a vast difference between services you are providing in comparison to others. You should also determine your service pricing, taking into consideration how much you want to make, your overhead costs, and what the market is willing to pay.
4) Select a business name. Your business name should be unique and describe what you do. If there is any chance you’ll expand your services, keep your business name open to add on new services.
5) Determine your business structure. Starting as a sole proprietor is fast and easy as it doesn’t require any special paperwork or fees Today, it’s easier and more affordable than ever to start a single person LLC. This protects your personal assets, such as your home, if you ever get sued.
6) Get needed permits and licenses. Your local city or county issues business licenses.
Other business set-up tasks you may need to consider are getting a fictitious name statement if your business name doesn’t include your given name or a zoning waiver to work from home.
7) Develop a marketing plan. Who are your most likely clients and where can they be found? What do they need and how can you help them get it? Â These are all important questions you need to answer in creating your marketing strategies.
8) Get clients and provide great service. Once you have everything in place, it’s time to implement your plan. Work to get your first clients and deliver top quality service on time. Don’t be afraid to ask for referrals from clients who are happy with your work.