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5 Steps to Becoming a Virtual Assistant
Here are 5 steps that I went through in becoming a virtual assistant. These aren’t official by any means, rather a little road map to help you get started.
1)Begin bidding on freelance projects. There are many sites online that allow employers to post freelance projects they need completed. You are then able to bid on those projects. Some sites offer this service free to those bidding and others charge a nominal fee. A few of my favorite sites are Elance.com and Guru.com. Your best bet is to bid on as many projects as you feel you are qualified to complete. This is an important step because it will allow you to see what it’s like to work on a project to project basis. It can also give you a clearer idea of what people are really looking for freelancers to work on and what services you might want to offer.
2)Once you start looking around the freelance sites and are getting an idea of what services you want to perform, you need to take an inventory of your work space. Your home office must have everything a typical administrative assistant’s desk would. You also need to make sure that you have a work area that is separate from all distractions. Just because you’re working at home doesn’t mean that you aren’t working just as hard, in fact you’ll be working twice as hard for awhile.
3)At this point, the best thing you can do for yourself is spend as much time as possible exploring other virtual assistants’ sites. This will allow you to see what you like and don’t like on their sites. You’ll also get a much better idea of what services you’d like to offer and what prices you can reasonably charge for your time. Note, I’m not advocating copying, stealing or plagiarizing in any manner, just look around a lot to see what you’re getting yourself into.
4)You’ll notice when you’re looking around all of these virtual assistant sites that many of these professionals have different certifications and belong to all sorts of different organizations. I would recommend looking into all of them that you run across. It’s really your decision on which ones you’d like to join or whether you want to spend the money on those at all. However, many of these organizations will help you with site development, marketing and promotion. Plus, some potential clients will be more comfortable working with you simply because you have their seal on your site.
5)Now, you’re ready to start getting to work on your website. You’ve got to be realistic with this. It is essential that your website look very professional and express your mission and services in a very straightforward manner. If you have web design experience and feel confident in your abilities, then by all means get to work on your site. If you’re not an HTML wiz, it can be very overwhelming. However, based on what web hosting service you use and/or software you have or choose to purchase, it can be fairly easy. Look for software that doesn’t require you to know HTML. Also, look for templates that will help you get started very quickly. I could go on forever about all the ins and outs of web design for those new to this arena, but I’ll leave at this…your website is your portal for customer communication, marketing and sales, it must be professional, so if that means you must throw a little money in for some web design help, it’s probably worth it!
Being a virtual assistant can give you all the benefits of working at home and being your own boss, but you must be aware of what you’re getting into ahead of time. Be as prepared as possible and you’ll be a success!
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About Dana Wallert
Dana Wallert is the owner of an online virtual assistance company. She has many
years experience in retail sales, as well as office management. Find more about
Dana and sign up to receive her free monthly newsletter at http://www.dwofficesolutions.com.
A NEW FRONTIER: The Advent of the Virtual Assistant
According to the [US] Bureau of Labour Statistics 1998-1999 Occupational Outlook Handbook, "Employment of secretaries who do not specialize in legal or medical work-about 7 out of 8-is expected to decline due to the widespread application of new office automation."
Corporate downsizing and the move toward small, home-based business could, at first glance, appear to be bad news for the over 3 million people whose expertise lies in the administrative support arena.
"On the contrary," says Christine Durst, CEO of Staffcentrix, an ecommerce company that "incubates" virtual assistants. "The increasing numbers of small businesses will afford administrative support experts with an entrepreneurial spirit opportunities that have never before been possible. Two out of three new businesses being started today are based in the owner's home. Most of these SOHOs (small office/home office) will reach an impasse very quickly - they will be spending so much time on administrative tasks that they can no longer concentrate on growing their business. In short, they're going to need help."
Traditionally, the need for assistance has left the small business owner with several bleak options - hire an expensive "temp" for a bandaid-style solution, take on a great deal of expense and responsibility with a "permanent" employee, or-perhaps worst of all-turn away the work. Enter the virtual assistant - the ultimate SOHO growth partner!
Durst, who is credited with founding the virtual assisting industry, explains, "Like the majority of their clients, virtual assistants are entrepreneurs - highly skilled in their profession and able to have a impact on the productivity of those they work with. Traditionally, they have been known by many names: "secretaries," "administrative assistants," "executive assistants" or "bookkeepers," and until now it has been difficult to market their expertise outside of the corporate environment.
But in an age where technology has made the world a much smaller place, and where more professionals are working from their homes or in satellite offices, the former "assistant" has become "virtual" -- and thanks to the Internet, global."
The concept is still somewhat new, but it works so well that it has been embraced with gusto by the online community. A VA/SOHO relationship is a win-win in the truest sense. Without having to hire staff, bring in extra equipment, or share their space, the SOHO gets the support they need so that they can concentrate on growing their business and the VA (also a SOHO) has an opportunity to stretch their entrepreneurial wings as CEO of their own company.
Work assignments are communicated through e-mail, phone, fax, mail, diskette transfer, and real-time online messaging. The services offered by VAs vary from one individual to the next, based on their area of expertise. In addition to administrative support, many VAs offer other, more-specialized skills. VAs are becoming the de facto growth partners of SOHOs all over the world - offering the SOHO executive full professional assistance with a variety of support responsibilities at the click of an email icon.
There are 43 million small businesses in the US today, 14 million of these are home-based. It stands to reason that even if only a small percentage of these businesses decide that a VA is their best growth solution, the VA industry is going to need many qualified individuals to meet the demand. Though there are no "firm" numbers in place, Durst estimates that there are approximately 75-100 VAs globally - basing this figure on Web presence.
This emerging industry is opening doors for people who have been downsized, moms who would like to work from home, mobility-restricted individuals, and a wide variety of others. Individuals with good core skills, an entrepreneurial spirit, and a computer with access to the Net have a wonderful new frontier unfolding before them.
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For more information, contact Christine Durst, CEO of Staffcentrix and Acting President of IVAA - International Virtual Assistants Association, at cdurst@staffcentrix.com or call 860.974.3521. Staffcentrix, LLC is a pure Internet, ecommerce company with offices inWoodstock, Connecticut and McLean, Virginia. On the Web at http://www.staffcentrix.com
IVAA - International Virtual Assistants Association is the non-profit, educational and credentialing association for the virtual assisting industry. On the Web at http://www.ivaa.org.
Advice For New VA’s
Apart from the obvious requirements such as computer, internet connection, suitable software, good knowledge in how to use that software and suitable experience in providing the services you want to provide (I recommend at least 5 years, but some might say 2 would suffice), then there are these other things that should be done:
1. Know what services you want to provide from the beginning and don’t
make it more than 3 or 4 - it will confuse you on how to market and confuse
others as to what you provide. It can be built up over time as you develop your
client base.
2. Have professional business cards printed and also develop a signature block
- both go hand-in-hand. One for when you meet with people in the flesh, the
other for when you connect with people virtually. Give them something that tells
about you, what you do and how to contact you.
3. Network, network, and network some more. Join online forums and networks
and get to know your peers, but also join forums where you could meet prospective
clients - your peers will teach you about your profession but few will provide
you with work so joining forums of personal interest for example will put you
in front of prospective clients.
4. Join local business networks - where you have to go out and meet people face
to face and learn about them and teach them about you. Don’t be afraid
to get in the front line, i.e. help with things, perhaps get on a committee,
give out papers, nametags, handle the registration for events, collect up papers,
help others - if you’re where many people have to pass by you, they’ll
get to know your face and want to know more about you.
5. Software launches are a good place to network - especially if you already
have good knowledge of that software. Many of those attending the launch want
to learn about it and often need someone to help them.
6. Take your business seriously and treat it as a business not a hobby.
7. Get a domain name - don’t use a free email account for your business.
It’s ok to use one for personal email but you want people to know about
your business and a domain name is a good way to get them to take notice.
8. Have a webpage (even 1 page is fine) using that domain so that when people
look up the domain out of curiousity they can at least learn how to contact
you (other than email) and perhaps a bit about what you do and/or your skills
and abilities.
All of the above will assist you in getting started. The phone won’t
start ringing, or the emails start coming, unless people know you exist. If
you want to know more I have several books available at my bookstore - why not
come over and check them out? KMT
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Kathie M. Thomas, AFAIOP, MVA, ASO is the founder of "A Clayton's Secretary", a Virtual Assistant Network with members in many countries. Dedicated to teaching others about operating business over the Internet, Kathie is a multiple award winner as both a Secretary and Virtual Business Operator, and has over 30 years\' experience in the secretarial/administrative field. She registered her business in March 1994 and is one of the senior VAs who launched the industry globally. http://www.vadirectory.net.
Are You A Micropreneur
If so, you probably are used to doing everything for yourself. You're like me in that you wear many, many, many, many hats in your business, and you're terrified of what might happen if you had to step out of it for any kind of time period. You're so busy working IN your business, that you never have any time to work ON your business.
Having worked as a virtual assistant to small business owners over the last several years, there is one common element I noticed with emerging micropreneurs. Most come from the corporate world where they were at liberty to perform their expertise while utilizing the assistance of a support staff.
They really enjoyed being able to focus on the task at hand and not have to worry about the little details. They didn't enjoy the bureaucracy of the corporate world and felt a tugging of the entrepreneurial spirit. Thus, they decide to take the plunge and start their own business.
Starting a new business is exciting but these micropreneurs forgot one thing, they were never taught how to perform the day-to-day administrative workings of a business. While working in the corporate realm, they relied on the assistance of a secretary, administrative assistant or office manager to order supplies, process payments, invoice, desktop publishing, etc.
These micropreneurs now trudge along and attempt to perform these tasks all the while getting bogged down in the running of a business administratively, requiring skills and knowledge unrelated to their passion of why they started their business. More importantly, they are not able to focus on the money making aspects of their business, such as client proposals, networking, etc.
To build a successful foundation for your business, you're going to need some documentation. As tedious as it sounds, you've got to write stuff down. Little things that you take for granted or do on autopilot are critical to your business, and if anything ever happened to you, someone will have to take the reigns. The best way for your business to continue without missing a beat is if you've got stuff in writing.
Here are a few of the items you want to document:
Job Descriptions. But wait a minute, I do it all myself, I don't have a staff. That's okay, you can still write up job descriptions. Just think of all the things you do in any given day and write them down as if they were done by someone else. You may even want to write up an org chart, even if your name is in every single slot. Just remember to be as objective as possible.
Document Important Information. This is basically going to be the start of an Operations Manual. Step-by-step guidelines for how to run your business will be the most important item you can have should someone have to take over in your absence or if you decide to sell your business. Make sure you cover all the tasks, even the simplest ones. One of the most common complaints I get is, "I don't have enough time to do everything each day." When I probe deeper, I usually find that a lot of time is wasted trying to remember how something was done in the past. Be sure to include any tasks done by employees, subcontractors, or partners.
Prioritize the tasks. Once you've identified all the tasks that are done, make a list of what's most important to the operation of your business (i.e. will it bring in new clients or revenue). Those tasks are the important ones that YOU need to be focusing on. The ones at the bottom of the list are the ones you want to delegate.
Be your own worst critic. Once you identify your tasks and write them down, try to read them as if you didn't know anything to see if a person with no training in your business could follow them. Ideally, get a close friend or relative to review them and see if they can follow the logic. If they can, great, you did it right. If they can't, review and rewrite.
One last word on building a solid foundation. Watch your budget. One of the biggest mistakes I see in new business owners is making spur-of-the-moment purchases (what stores call "impulse buys"). Whenever you see new technology or a new gadget on the market, review it carefully and list reasons on how it will help you grow your business. If you can't find rock solid reasons, you're probably better off not buying it. At the very least, sleep on it for 24 hours before making the purchase.
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Do you feel caught in a catch-22? You need help in the administrative side of your business but you can't afford to hire someone? Angee Robertson understands her clients anxst of being a small business owner because she owns her own business. Her clients refer to her an "administrative partner" because she helps them to focus on what they love while she helps maintain the day-to-day operations. To break the cycle, visit www.diymicropreneur.com.
Become a Virtual Assistant
I had reached a point in my professional career where I felt unfulfilled, unchallenged, and unmotivated. My corporate job began to feel like a real drag. I knew I needed to change directions but wasn't quite sure where to start. I began writing down some goals for myself, the first being to create the flexibility in my career and lifestyle that would allow me more time to spend with my family and to have some fun in life. I felt like I was just working my life away--going through the motions everyday, without really finding any joy in what I was doing.
I decided that I would try to find a job that allowed me the flexibility to work from home. The idea of owning my own business had always appealed to me as well. I began taking a little time each day to research new career opportunities.
The day I stumbled across a certain online article on the website of a local newspaper, was the day that my life and career took an amazing turn. The article introduced me to the Virtual Training Program run by Assist University.
Assist University (www.AssistU.com) offered a rigorous, 20 week training and certification program which prepares qualified professionals to work in the virtual world. Enrollees are able to participate from anywhere throughout the country because all classes and assignments are handled via teleclass and email.
I applied and was accepted into the program in October of 1999. The experience has changed my life. Entering the Virtual Training Program taught me so much more than I ever bargained for! Not only did it teach me all of the soft skills required to start and run a successful Virtual Assistance practice but it also included a sub-curriculum which taught me how to live the life I've always wanted to live.
I am pleased to say that after much commitment and hard work, I successfully completed the program, became certified and have since started my own Virtual Assistance practice. I find it quite rewarding and I am now enjoying a thriving practice. Currently I work with seven clients located throughout the country from New York to California. I communicate on a daily basis with my clients mostly via phone and email. Actually, I only have one client who I have met in person. I recently began working with my own assistant, which has allowed my practice to continue to grow.
I have found that many people have not yet heard about Virtual Assistance, so please allow me to give you a brief background. Virtual Assistance is a relatively new profession that can best be described as the art of long-term partnering with a client in order to provide the highest quality support services without needing to be physically present in the client's office. Virtual Assistance works because of the immediacy and effectiveness of today's technology. Email, the Internet, real-time online messaging, fax, phone, and overnight delivery make it all possible.
As a Virtual Assistant (VA), I am a dedicated professional who genuinely and powerfully can impact a client's business and life. Remember, I am my own small business owner, so commitment and quality client care are key to the success of my practice. I climb into my clients' business and learn the best way to work with and support each client.
I partner with busy, successful professionals of all kinds: authors, salespeople, consultants, coaches, executives, entrepreneurs, small business owners--anyone who wants to live a more balanced life with more free time to do the things that he/she really wants to do!
When a client is able to confidently delegate work, they gain space in their life for an abundance of other things, including growing their business, having more time for family and friends, responding to other opportunities, having a better balanced, higher quality life.
Clients pay only for the services they use...there is no down time. Most clients work directly from their own home offices, so partnering with a Virtual Assistant means they do not have to share their workspace, or provide equipment, training, furniture, benefits or any of the other associated costs that come with hiring an employee. Instead, clients work with a VA as their partner...a highly skilled, expertly trained partner who has a vested interest in their success. Because I am a business owner myself, my clients’ success is key to my own success.
The types of services that I offer my clients vary. Really, the only things that cannot be done are things that actually need to be touched in the client's office. So, the possibilities are endless. Specifically my practice currently includes: human resource administration with an emphasis on employee benefits, writing services (technical or creative), business/employee communications, proofreading and editing, research (online or traditional), word processing, spreadsheets, data entry, database management, message management, scheduling, bill paying, simple website design, newsletter distribution, bulk mailing, reminder services, event planning, special projects, and concierge services.
As a professional, I am continuously updating my skills through training and education. As a virtual assistant, I have a great support network and many resources, so if I am unable to get something done, rest assured I will know someone who can! I also make it a point to keep up with the latest technology and equip my home office for maximum efficiency and effectiveness.
To say that I enjoy owning my own virtual assistance practice is definitely an understatement. I absolutely love what I do. My colleagues and clients are amazing, dynamic, truly inspirational people. The opportunities I have come across are simply unbelievable. Each day I work from a cozy home office that fuels me with creativity, serenity and a true sense of who I am. Each and every day I find that I learn something new, either about technology, about a client, about myself--always something that allows me to continue to grow. I have created a balance in my life that has brought me true satisfaction for now and hopefully for the future as well.
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Liz Dougherty is a frequent contributor to Webgrrls.com and welcomes your comments and questions.
Building a Successful Virtual Assistant Business
In “Field of Dreams” the Kevin Costner character is told to “build it and they will come”. He worked and worked to build his field of dreams. If you have seen the movie, you know that he was ridiculed and there was a lot of work to do to turn that field of corn into a baseball diamond. But it was all worth it in the end.
What are you willing to go through to see your business become successful? How much work are you willing to do? Some people see becoming a virtual assistant as a get-rich-quick business. If you talk to any successful VA, you will find out this is just not true. They are successful because they have put the time and energy into their business.
I am not trying to discourage anyone from becoming a virtual assistant. I just want people to go into this field with their eyes wide open. Here are a few things to consider before you decide to take the plunge into the virtual assistant industry:
1. Definition – What is a virtual assistant? I like the Wikipedia definition: A Virtual Assistant (or simply VA), is an independent contractor providing administrative, technical, or sometimes creative assistance to clients--usually to other independent entrepreneurs and solo and small business practices, such as that of a lawyer or realtor. Virtual assistants work from their own office (hence "virtual"). Common modes of communication and data delivery include the Internet, File Transfer Protocol (FTP), and fax machine.
2. Experience – How much experience do you have in the non-virtual world in the area of expertise you are going to market? Some organizations believe you should have at least 5 years experience before you start your virtual assistant business. If you have the experience and skills then go for it. If not, why not wait another year or two before stepping out on your own.
3. Training – Virtual assistant training does not train you how to use a computer, build a website, or send an email. It does train you to run your own business, create a business plan, and how to market yourself and your VA business. There are a lot of training options available. Make sure you are comfortable with the format of the training as well as the content. Don’t purchase anything you won’t be able to learn from.
4. Web Presence – This used to mean that you would have a website, but now it means so much more. Having a web presence now means to have a website, a blog, at least 3 networking page memberships (like MySpace), and membership in various forums and groups. You have to get yourself out there in cyberspace as much as possible.
5. Marketing – Marketing your business can take many forms. You can do it through your local Chamber of Commerce, newspaper ads, and other traditional methods. Your web presence is basically marketing. You can spend hours keeping up with marketing. Writing articles, press releases, and commenting on forums are great ways to get your business into the minds of prospective customers. Networking is another effective method of marketing. This can be done online or in person, but you have to keep up with it. Experts say your prospective clients need to see your information 7 times before it registers.
I hope you haven’t been put off becoming a virtual assistant. I just wanted you to be aware that it is a lot of work. Not only do you have to complete your client work, but you will have a tonne of stuff to do to keep your business running. If you let either fall behind, you will have no business at all.
Build your “field of dreams” but remember how much work it will take to build.
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Darrell A. Willliams is the owner of Right-Hand-Man Virtual Assistant Services
- a Multi-VA team practice. Darrell has over 8 years experience in the administrative
support field. He has worked in Canada, the US, and the UK. For more information
visit http://www.righthandmanva.com
or contact us at contact@righthandmanva.com.
Career Outlook for Virtual Assistants
The most important thing to remember, though, is to keep current with technology and software that can progress your business. If you only know outdated technology, then you and your business are outdated and your clients may go elsewhere for service. Keep adding to your services and learn everything you can about your niche market and what they currently need.
With many businesses restructuring and downsizing (getting rid of middle managers), companies are utilizing more and more secretarial and administrative support staff to take over those duties. If you offer administrative support as a VA, and market yourself as an off-site solution to those downsizing companies, your "job security" looks pretty good. One thing to keep in mind, though, is that you will have competition from on-site employees for these positions.
If you offer more specialized services than administrative support, you have different chances for sustaining an ongoing career. Here are two examples:
If you offer Public Relations (PR) services, your occupational outlook is rosy. With so many different types of organizations -- such as businesses, nonprofits, universities, hospitals and more - looking for media specialists and PR specialists to do more than just "tell their story." Creativity, initiative, good judgment and the ability to communicate effectively are some of the skills necessary to succeed in this job. There's lots of competition in this role, but employment/contracts for PR specialists is expected to grow faster than average, according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook.
If you offer Desktop Publishing services, your occupational outlook is also great. Many companies are beginning to outsource these services, as opposed to having in-house staff. With experience and/or a degree in graphic design or a related field, desktop publishers have a variety of different organizations to market themselves to. VAs offer an affordable alternative to hiring a graphic design firm.
Whether you specialize in desktop publishing and graphic design or public relations or another niche specialty, it's clear that Virtual Assistance is catching on and the VAs who are out there aren't going anywhere. With more and more employers and companies looking to outsource projects turning to offsite personnel to fulfill these needs, the view of using "virtual" workers is changing. It's no longer as common to hear objections such as "How do I know you'll really be working?" when proposing using a VA to someone who never has before. Many people have heard of VAs now or know someone who uses theirs. In most cases, once someone has a VA on their team, they don't turn back to in-house staff to fulfill those duties.
To check out similar fields' occupational outlooks, visit the Occupational Outlook Handbook (2006-07 edition) put out by the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics at http://www.bls.gov.
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If you're an aspiring Virtual Assistant, claim your free e-report "Virtual Assistant Business: A Basic Guide to Start Your Own" at http://www.virtualassistantbusiness.com. VirtualAssistantBusiness.com is a resource site for current and aspiring Virtual Assistants.
India Jordan is the owner and founder of VirtualAssistantBusiness.com. To learn more about other Virtual Assistant Training programs for aspiring and current Virtual Assistants, visit us today.
Career Outlook for Virtual Assistants
The most important thing to remember, though, is to keep current with technology and software that can progress your business. If you only know outdated technology, then you and your business are outdated and your clients may go elsewhere for service. Keep adding to your services and learn everything you can about your niche market and what they currently need.
With many businesses restructuring and downsizing (getting rid of middle managers), companies are utilizing more and more secretarial and administrative support staff to take over those duties. If you offer administrative support as a VA, and market yourself as an off-site solution to those downsizing companies, your "job security" looks pretty good. One thing to keep in mind, though, is that you will have competition from on-site employees for these positions.
If you offer more specialized services than administrative support, you have different chances for sustaining an ongoing career. Here are two examples:
If you offer Public Relations (PR) services, your occupational outlook is rosy. With so many different types of organizations -- such as businesses, nonprofits, universities, hospitals and more - looking for media specialists and PR specialists to do more than just "tell their story." Creativity, initiative, good judgment and the ability to communicate effectively are some of the skills necessary to succeed in this job. There's lots of competition in this role, but employment/contracts for PR specialists is expected to grow faster than average, according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook.
If you offer Desktop Publishing services, your occupational outlook is also great. Many companies are beginning to outsource these services, as opposed to having in-house staff. With experience and/or a degree in graphic design or a related field, desktop publishers have a variety of different organizations to market themselves to. VAs offer an affordable alternative to hiring a graphic design firm.
Whether you specialize in desktop publishing and graphic design or public relations or another niche specialty, it's clear that Virtual Assistance is catching on and the VAs who are out there aren't going anywhere. With more and more employers and companies looking to outsource projects turning to offsite personnel to fulfill these needs, the view of using "virtual" workers is changing. It's no longer as common to hear objections such as "How do I know you'll really be working?" when proposing using a VA to someone who never has before. Many people have heard of VAs now or know someone who uses theirs. In most cases, once someone has a VA on their team, they don't turn back to in-house staff to fulfill those duties.
To check out similar fields' occupational outlooks, visit the Occupational Outlook Handbook (2006-07 edition) put out by the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics at http://www.bls.gov.
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If you're an aspiring Virtual Assistant, claim your free e-report "Virtual Assistant Business: A Basic Guide to Start Your Own" at http://www.virtualassistantbusiness.com. VirtualAssistantBusiness.com is a resource site for current and aspiring Virtual Assistants.
From Impaired to Virtually Empowered
"In the last three years, my health has steadily declined. I left my job of four years as the director of economic development for one of the fastest-growing areas of the U.S. I came home, bought a graphics computer, and taught myself how to use it. Since I owned an advertising agency at one time, going back to graphic arts was something I could do. I have been seeking, without luck, some sort of 'virtual job.' Do you have any suggestions?"
The good news is that the jobs are out there. And with the Net, it's easier than ever to locate them. (I've listed an assortment of Net resources below). First, let's look at what it means to work "virtually." To run your own business, you must be extremely self-disciplined, motivated, courageous, unfazed by rejection, and able to handle the financial volatility. In a corporate environment, your work is handed to you. Now, you have to go after it -- even though you aren't feeling well. It's hard enough to market and sell yourself when you are feeling tip-top. I understand your impatience. Unless your former employers give you work (have you approached them?), it will take time to generate referrals. Virtual work requires great trust on both sides. Anyone who hires you must be confident that you can work without supervision. It's difficult for potential clients to invest that kind of trust in someone they do not know.
I asked Robin Ryan (RobinRyan@aol.com), a Seattle career counselor and author of 24 Hours to Your Next Job, Raise or Promotion about your situation. She suggested: "Try to break into Internet advertising. As a consultant, clients would hire you to direct them in strategies and the ad campaigns that will win Internet buyers. This can be done using technology -- E-mail, telephone, and fax -- without ever leaving your home. It will pay a much higher rate than straight graphics design work."
To whatever extent you can, leverage your past contacts in the advertising business -- and anyone else. "Look at past colleagues, friends, and family members for referrals...Networking is key," Robin says. She also offers this useful tip: "For general exploration, go to www.monster.com and search out jobs that appeal to you. It's a massive database of job listings, so it can be quite insightful as to skills needed and salaries offered by real employers."
If you're willing to depart from the graphics realm, consider becoming a virtual
assistant, providing administrative support on a contract basis to a busy entrepreneur,
small-business owner, consultant, or executive. You can even learn the business
online. Stacy Brice has created a virtual university -- Assist University (www.assistu.com),
which trains virtual assistants and gives them the support they need to create
and sustain their own successful businesses. You can contact Stacy, a pioneer
of the virtual assistance profession, at president@assistu.com or (410) 666-5900.
Stacy also recommends several other resources for telecommuters and freelancers
-- referral services, organizations, online recruiters, and temp agencies --
for you to check out for possible leads:
* Hireability (www.hireability.com)
* The Independent Homeworkers Alliance (www.homeworkers.org)
* Internet Outsource (www.internet-outsource.com)
* Paladin Staffing Services (www.paladinstaff.com)
* Telecommuting Jobs (www.tjobs.com)
* Tryads (www.tryads.com)
* Will Work 4 Food (www.2020tech.com/ww4f/index.html)
I recently discovered another: Freelance Jobs Exchange (www.freejob.com). If you haven't already done so, contact your state vocational rehabilitation agency. Their offices typically have counselors who place disabled workers. Meanwhile, you must build your new business like any new-business owner would -- network, sell, and network some more. Lots of entrepreneurs give up within six months because clients aren't beating down their doors. The first jobs are the hardest to get. Land a few plum assignments, knock their socks off, and the referrals will start flowing.
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Have a question on how to handle the pressures of running a business and the impact on your personal life, marriage, and family? Contact Azriela Jaffe at AZ@azriela.com. Please put "BW Online question" in the subject field. Your real name will be kept confidential if you request, but please give an E-mail address, phone number, and your hometown so she can contact you for more information. Because of heavy volume, Azriela cannot guarantee that she will answer every query.
How to Get Started as a Virtual Assistant
The field of virtual assistance is one of the fastest-growing and in-demand, according to a 2004 report by the American Marketing Association, and shows no signs of diminishing anytime soon.
The reason is the drastic expansion of small business in the United States. According to the Small Business Administration, small businesses represent 99.7 percent of all employers in the United States, and there are approximately 22.9 million small businesses in existence now. That's a lot of people who will need a lot of administrative assistance, from correspondence and bulk mailings, to travel arrangements and calendar maintenance, as well as help with research and presentation materials.
Of course, people who have previous office experience have a decided advantage as they're getting started , and many find that some of their first VA clients come from their former office relationships.
When starting a VA business, though, it's best to think about how you want to structure it. Will it be full-time or part-time? And how do you want to pay your taxes? Most people choose sole proprietorships, in order to keep initial expenses low. Establishing a sole proprietorship means that any profits you make must be reported in your personal income tax forms, and any expenses incurred in running the business can be deducted, by reporting the deductions on the appropriate forms.
In order to get started, you may want to use Legal Zoom, a wonderful service that can file your sole proprietor paperwork and deal with the subsequent public notices required by law. Theyre quick, easy and can have you up and running in practically no time. Because you've got better things to do with your time.
Now its time to think about the services you want to offer. Most clients will assume a minimum capability with the internet and email, so its important to have a working computer with a reasonably fast processor (512 mHz or faster is best). You will need an Internet Service Provider (ISP), such as AOL or Earthlink, and a modem (a cable modem or DSL are best for receiving large files, but they're not required. However, you may find it very frustrating trying to work with dial-up), as well as a decent amount of memory for storing your files, and those of your clients (20 GB or better is best).
Secondarily, you will need a fax machine, preferably with a dedicated (separate) line. It becomes very difficult to do business if you can't send and receive faxes while on the phone. If a fax machine is prohibitively expensive at first, we love Call Wave. It's a great software that can help you send (and receive) faxes directly from your email inbox. Another great function is that it can take phone messages for you, through an online answering machine. You'll never miss another important call again!
Next, you'll need some great software, so you can advertise and deliver the greatest number of services for your clients. The most popular program by far, whether for Mac or PC platforms, is Microsoft Office. It has a word processing program in MS Word, a spreadsheet program in MS Excel, and a presentation program in PowerPoint. Lastly, you get MS Outlook, which is a program to compose and send email and store addresses. It also comes with its own junk mail filtering capability, so if you're going to invest in one program right off the bat, this is the one you should get.
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Copyright 2006 AssistantGirls.com. Alyson Mead is founder of AssistantGirls.com. She spent eight years as a book editor in New York, working for companies such as Scholastic, Macmillan, McGraw-Hill, Glencoe, Steck-Vaughn, Silver Burdett & Ginn, Prentice-Hall and others. She has published hundreds of freelance articles in journals such as Salon.com, ChickClick, MSN.com, In These Times and many more, and ghostwritten several book projects.
In space no one can hear you type
The Personal Assistant is fast becoming the Virtual Assistant. Sarah Litvinoff visits cyberspace
Goodbye secretary sitting outside the boss's office, and hello Virtual Assistant (VA) the cyber-partner who offers traditional services for a client from home.
Assistants have always been the power behind the throne. The best keep a jump ahead, so everything runs smoothly. These backroom girls (and some boys) have embraced new technology, and it's shown them a new world. With computers that talk to each other, e-mail, the Internet, flexible phone systems, options in mail delivery - some realise that they don't have to be based in the office.
VAs can do everything a PA does, except make coffee. The client pays only for services used - cheaper and more convenient than an employee who needs guaranteed hours, a desk, equipment and related benefits of sick pay and holidays. A VA can juggle a number of clients, organising her workload to fit round the family. She can use skills that have been at the service of other people to build a profitable business. Clients working with a VA can expect a high-performing, experienced person offering better quality work than a temp or junior.
Sue Jobson became a VA in 1995 after years as a high-level PA. Nine years after her first son was born she had a new baby and wanted to work from home. When she left her job she put the word around her contacts - now she has eight permanent and many ad hoc clients. "I'm the extra pair of hands that people need." She has the best computer she can afford, programmed with a variety of accounting and WP software to match those of her clients, a good fax/modem, a headset for her telephone, and extra phone lines to deal with the workload.
For her most time-consuming client, a photographer who published high-quality books, she offers a complete service. They have never met, despite a three-year partnership. "He sends me faxes from India, China and gives me dictation over the phone." Sue's services are tailored to client needs, accounting and typing being the most popular.
The advantage, says Sue, is flexibility, especially with three young children. "In a desk job the working mother is constantly apologising or begging for time off. My clients want the work done. So long as I'm efficient, they don't care when or how."
That is what appeals to Bridget Postlethwaite, who works from Alderney. Like Sue, word of mouth has provided clients, many of whom she has never met as they are based in London, Belgium, or without at base at all, as they travel the world. She has worked as a VA for over a year, and offers services from marketing consultancy, to moving stocks and money around for a stock-broking firm, as well as the range of normal secretarial services. Many clients divert their phone, fax, post and e-mails to her, trusting that she will deal with whatever comes up and liase with them where necessary. She charges £10 per hour for work such as typing, or a retainer that varies from £10 a week to £100 per month for full monitoring of phone and post. Both Bridget and Sue keep a note of their expenses, such as phone calls, and invoice their clients monthly.
In the States VAs are more established and charge from £35 to £90 per hour, and around £400 as a monthly retainer. AssistU - training for VAs - offers a 16-week course over the telephone (£490 for group training, £980 for individual tuition) teaching potential VAs how they can translate their secretarial and PA skills for use in this new business.
As work patterns change, VAs are the new flexible friends, and their status is correspondingly high. As Sue says, "If you say you are a secretary you drop in people's estimation. Say you're a VA and you gain respect.
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Evening Standard - 3rd August 1998
It's Virtual Reality
Fortunately, being your own boss is no longer just the preserve of plumbers and financial consultants; there is a way of leaving the work-place while sticking with the work, of picking and choosing who you work for without having to become intimate with their preference for sweetener or whitener. It involves becoming more virtual, less personal, and taking a giant click away from the office door. The concept of a virtual assistant is American but it arrived on these shores about 10 years ago. Hundreds of PAs have since told their bosses to put the coffee request where the sun don't shine.
The VA does what a PA does, but from home, via a mouse or a phone, for a range of clients. Usually these clients are themselves self-employed and don't have the turnover or inclination to set up an office and employ the staff to run it. Some are regularly on the road and need to have someone to take care of their business while they are away, responding to calls, writing letters, putting together presentations, chasing invoices and managing their bank accounts. Working ike this, if the boss has BO, the VA doesn't even need to know.
For 43 year old Geraldine Skinner, shifting from PA to VA was a chance to progress a career which otherwise seemed to have reached a plateau. Skinner had worked as a corporate personal assistant for 20 years, largely for big US companies both in New York and London, but in the end it wasn't enough.
'I was looking for a challenge of doing my own thing, managing my own time,' she says. 'I see this as providing a more positive future than simply going into an office.'
She resigned from her job two years ago and, through a combination of word of mouth and advertising, she now provides assistance to four major clients from her home in Weybridge. It hasn't been easy though.
Skinner feels as if she is working harder than ever before, particularly in providing an overnight service. One of her clients is on the road all day and does his administration in the evenings, which is when he puts in his calls to Skinner. And her income is only half of what she used to make when she was employed, although the graph is steadily moving upwards.
Skinner believes there's no way you can become a VA without several years of office experience and considerable familiarity with the necessary technology. 'You have to be very confident of your skills, because there's nobody to ask and nothing to hide behind. You also have to have a stable home life.'
It was an involuntary period of home life which convinces Zita Robinson, 31, that she too needed a radical workplace change.
Robinson was a medical insurance broker in a small office near her home in Slinfield, West Sussex, when a visit to the doctor caused her to take stock of her career so far.
A position of considerable responsibility, combined with company restructuring had meant she was working increasingly long hours, sometimes starting at 7 a.m. and not finishing until 10 p.m. She had been feeling ill for months and says, 'My GP was very concerned and sent me to hospital for tests. It was quite alarming.'
She was forced to take sick leave and during the first week she fretted about how work would be coping without her. In the second week she suddenly thought: 'I am not doing this any more.'
She resigned, took the summer off and started to research the possibility of becoming a VA, meeting local business associates, attending courses on running your own business, doing market research and assembling the equipment she needed for an office at home. Her clients have come gradually through networking, word of mouth and even through an advertisement in a newsagent's window. Several have been life coaches and training consultants, an industry she didn't set out to target butwhich she has found very interesting. So far most of them have come from within a 30-mile radius of her home but, ultimately, she would like to take on international business too.
For Robinsin, the link between what she did as an employee and what she does now as a self-employed person is not immediately obvious, but that doesn't seem to bother her clients. 'I can provide my CV on request, but mostly they are not interested. What matters is how you come across and the preparation you put in. I always go to meetings with clients and potential clients armed with ideas.'
Like Skinner, the financial rewards are still to be reaped, but Robinson believes she will eventually reach the same level of income she had as an employee and that the VA business is going to grow as we all become more familiar with the concept. Not earning as much as she did doesn't particularly bother her, not that she has her life back. 'I would not take a full time job ever again,' she says.
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By: Andrew Eames
Learning the Profession
After reading the last article, you’ve come to the conclusion that in spite of what is required to set up a legal business, your heart’s desire is still to become a successful virtual assistant. Congratulations on making what I consider to be the best career choice available for admins!
This is a great time to enter the virtual assistance profession. I've been in business for three years and I can now pick and choose the clients I want to work with. I attribute this to having a thorough knowledge of the industry. This knowledge came from extensive research – from the moment I decided to enter the field up to and including the present. My research does not stop.
But we all learn in different ways. I learn best by doing and at my own pace. A lot can be said for the "trial and error" methodology. Fortunately, the "error" parts weren't too costly for me. Today, someone entering the profession has several options for "learning" how to be a virtual assistant. The oldest online Virtual Training Program is AssistU ( http://www.assistu.com ). I did not attend AssistU, but I have never, ever heard a bad thing about this training, developed and led by Stacy Brice (President and Chief Visionary Officer).
Ask Shane!
Shane Bowlin, www.askshane.com, a successful and well-known VA, graduated from AssistU three years ago. "AssistU cut the 'learning' curve. I am sure I could have started my practice without it, but the benefit of learning from others mistakes was invaluable. I had a full practice within a few months. The ongoing support is instrumental in the success of the AU grads," states Bowlin. Shane learned to set boundaries and further stated that AU is very focused on helping to define your practice and standards.
Shane worked full-time outside the home as general manager of a regional newspaper publishing company. She explains that AssistU is a 20-week course and requires a commitment of about 15-20 hours per week, depending on the person. As you can see, this is quite a time commitment for someone employed full-time elsewhere. The hardest part for Shane about attending AU while working outside the home was the amount of reading and research. But this enabled her to very quickly learn how to navigate the Internet. I can tell you Internet research, at least for me, has been instrumental for the success of my practice. You must know how to navigate the Web.
AssistU comes with a price tag, but at least one state (in the U.S.) has approved funding to pay for AU training. Shane states that she has no regrets about taking the training. "The biggest thing I learned about becoming a VA is that you need to have self confidence. If you aren't going with formal training, still sit down and do a comprehensive business plan. You need something to keep you on track and measure your progress," states Bowlin. This is excellent advice.
How about a Coach?
Virtual assistant coaches are now available (http://www.professionalvirtualassistant.com, email program/one-on-one coaching; http://www.innovativecoach.com, one-on-one coaching/mentoring). If you choose a coaching/mentoring program, be sure to ask questions. You want to make sure your coach has a successful VA practice. It would help if they also had formal coaching training.
I receive e-mails daily from people wanting to be virtual assistants. I used to be able to keep up with these e-mails, but that is no longer the case. My workload is heavy and the e-mails keep piling up. For this reason, I've developed a weekly e-mail training program. The program consists of e-mail lessons and assignments, as well as a weekly e-mail lesson consultation and end of the month brief phone consultation. The assignments not only help you learn the ins and outs of the profession, but also train you in learning to navigate the Internet. Remember, I firmly believe a thorough understanding of navigating the Web is a fundamental principle of the virtual assistance profession. This e-mail program is getting ready to launch and can be found at http://www.professionalvirtualassistant.com.
For those who already have set up their practice, www.professionalvirtualassistant also offers one-one-one training. Other one-on-one coaching programs are also available. Just do your research first. Ask questions and make sure the coach has the qualifications.
Going it alone!
When I started my business, no coaches were out there. AssistU was there, but I felt with my skills and education, I wanted to try the solo-approach first. Looking back, it was the best decision for my circumstances. I had worked in corporate settings running departments and had a good understanding of successful small business practices.
Perhaps the main reason I chose to go it alone was that I was no longer working outside the home. This topic will be addressed in the next article. I had become a stay at home mom, so I had the luxury of time. Allison Lane, my daughter, was still a baby. In May, she will be four. I can honestly say that if I were starting my business today, I would not have the luxury of time. Keep this in consideration if you have children – and in particular, small children.
Being a stay at home mother of an infant, I could research to my heart's content. Last month I showed you how to go about legally setting up the business. All of this research on the profession, setting up a business, learning to market, helped hone my Internet skills.
If you are going to do this the solo way, virtual assistant communities are there and ready to help you learn the ropes and network. I'm a member of several excellent communities and without them, I would have floundered around far more than I did. I can personally recommend ABSSI, IVAA, Staffcentrix, and the Virtual Business Group – run by a terrific lady, Renae Bolton. IVAA is a not for profit organization run by a volunteer board elected by the membership. Staffcentrix is – along with Stacy Brice of AssistU – the "founders" of the virtual assistance profession. All the above organizations can be found by researching the Web (your first research assignment).
Next month's article will address the experiences of those who worked outside the home full-time while setting up their successful virtual assistant practices. You can look forward to some excellent input from Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero, http://www.wordsorcerer.com, another popular virtual assistant. She has her degree in Journalism and was former VP-Marketing of the IVAA. Lorrie will describe some of the difficulties, including work and family, when working outside the home and starting a VA business.
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©2002. All rights reserved. No portions of this article may be reproduced without written permission from author.
Jackie Eastwick, owner of Allison Lane Business Solutions, has been in business since April, 1999. She is an IVAA CVA (Certified Virtual Assistant) and former VP-Education of the IVAA. Jackie operates a full-time Virtual Assistance practice as well as a Virtual Assistant Coaching Program.
In 1998, Jackie left her job while pregnant with her daughter (Allison Lane Eastwick). Since she did not return to the workforce, Jackie could devote the countless hours necessary to starting up a successful business support service. You may view more about Allison Lane Business Solutions at: http://www.allisonlane.com, http://www.professionalvirtualassistant.com or send an e-mail to
Jackie@allisonlane.com
Make Money, Be Your Own Boss & Stay Home With Your Children: Be a Virtual Assistant!
Use the skills you already have and be your own boss, set your own hours, make some great money...and, most importantly, spend time with your children!
So, just what is a VA?
A Virtual Assistant (VA) is an independent (self-employed) entrepreneur who can provide a variety of services (i.e. administrative, technical and/or creative) to one client or many clients on an on-going basis.
A VA uses various modes of communication to deliver those services to clients (i.e. e-mail, Internet, fax, phone, snail mail).
What is a Virtual Consultant (VC)?
A Virtual Consultant (VC) is an independent (self-employed) entrepreneur who completes highly specialized projects on an as-needed basis for one client or many clients.
A VC uses various modes of communication to deliver those projects to clients (i.e. e-mail, Internet, fax, phone, snail mail).
Why Be a VA or VC?
As a VA and/or a VC, you work at your own location (your home office), act as an independent contractor (i.e. are self-employed and get to take advantage of some awesome tax benefits!) and use your own equipment (in the comfort of your own home!).
This saves your clients HUGE money that they normally pay for onsite employees (i.e. providing benefits, office space, office equipment, etc.). Plus, your (VA's and VC's) charges can most likely be written off as a business expense by your clients! And, to top it ALL off, your clients have the benefit of a professional level assistant or consultant working "for" them.
When you are a virtual assistant, you PARTNER with clients (on a long-term basis) to provide high quality support services – without being onsite. Why has this suddenly become more popular? Because of today’s technology. The Internet, e-mail, phone, fax, IM, etc., all work together to make this profession TOTALLY do-able today!
How do I know you could do it? Because you just use the skills you already have (from your years of working for someone else!) and put them to work for yourself and your clients! You’d be shocked at just how many marketable skills you have…and probably don’t realize!
Start considering this alternative and investigating your options. Think prosperously and expect good things!
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Article by:
Jennifer Claggett is a virtual assistant and a stay-at-home mom. Visit her website at www.VirtualAssistantMom.com to learn more virtual assistant tools and information. This article is available for reprint with author's resource box intact and all links active. Copyright is reserved by the author.
Naming Your Business
What’s in a name? For a business it can be a lot.
You’ve decided to run a Virtual Assistant business. It is very exciting
but there is so much to do! Business cards, flyers, web sites — except
there’s one thing missing — the company name. You are at a stand
still. I’m sure a lot of us have struggled and agonized over what to call
our business and we all want it to be perfect. Let’s see what we can do
to make this important decision easier.
What do I need to consider when deciding on a name?
You want your company name to reflect something about who you are since you are the business. Think about where your passions lie related to the business. Are you passionate about helping others? Organization? Creativity? Systems and processes?
It’s not imperative your company name describes exactly what you do.
If you think about this it’s quite difficult to succinctly describe what
you do in a couple of words. Think about Pepsi, Microsoft, Kleenex or Kodak,
all brand names that are not even part of the English language. It’s all
in the marketing.
How do I come up with a company name?
Brainstorming is the easiest way. Write down all the things you are passionate
about then list your strengths. Looking at the words you have what ones jump
out at you or have special meaning to you. Start with these words and pull in
any business descriptions, concepts or images you may want to include. Once
you have a list of all these things brainstorm variations of word combinations.
Once you find one or more that connect with you try changing the words around
and making minor variations.
How do I decide which one to use?
Take the short list you now have and send to family, friends, coworkers and business associates to get their input. Ask if they have any additional suggestions. Keep in mind that what may appeal to them may not necessarily be the right company name for you. Another way that may help narrow down your choices is checking the availability of the domain name.
While all of us want the perfect company name there is no law that says you
cannot change your company name in the future. However careful consideration
must be given to this option based on the marketing and reputation that has
already been built around the old name.
Once I’ve decided on the name what do I need to do?
Be sure you go to your local government agency to register the name you have
chosen. In some instances the name may already be registered and being used
by someone else in which case you will have to choose the next name on your
list. Remember to check on the domain name of this company name as well and
once you have registered the business name don’t forget to register the
domain name!
Can I just use my own name?
Just using your own name is always an option. You may also want to add additional descriptors such as “business services”, “virtual assistant services” or “and associates”. This is sometimes an easier solution for those who cannot come up with another company name.
You want to keep in mind that when using your name it is definitely your reputation on the line. Consider the possibility of your name changing i.e. marriage or divorce and whether you may want to sell or expand the business and any complication this may present.
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Mary-Lou Ashon successfully launched her Virtual Assistant company in 1997 and holds expertise in organizing information, creation and implementation of administrative procedures and marketing. She has proven that dedication, communication, loyalty and a flare for marketing are keys to developing successful client relationships. Mary-Lou has a keen desire to promote awareness of VAs as a career option both internationally and at home in Canada and has developed a cost effective, convenient and high quality training program which you can locate at http://vatp.ca/.
On Becoming a "Virtual Assistant"-- A Truly Portable Career
Of Chaos and Careers
A military spouse's career progression can come to a sudden halt because of this turbulent lifestyle. In some cases, a job outside of the home nets just about enough income to cover child care. And then, of course, is the fact that some parents would really prefer to be home with the children.
Thanks to the growth of the Internet and the emerging virtual assisting industry, military spouses whose expertise lies in the administrative support arena are finding it much easier to stretch their entrepreneurial wings.
What is a Virtual Assistant?
Like the majority of their clients, virtual assistants are entrepreneurs-- highly skilled in their profession and able to have an impact on the productivity of those they work with. Traditionally, they have been known by many names: secretaries, administrative assistants, executive assistants, or bookkeepers, and until now it has been difficult to market their expertise outside of the corporate environment. But in an age where technology has made the world a much smaller place, and where more professionals are working from their homes or in satellite offices, the former "assistant" has become "virtual"-- and thanks to the Internet-- global!
Virtual Assistants may be hired by a wide range of clients-- Consultants, lawyers, import-export businesses, real estate agents, Human Resource Managers dealing with work overflow, and small busineses seeking to expand while maintaining flexibility and keeping overhead low. The increasing numbers of small businesses in the U.S. and abroad are affording administrative support experts with an entrepreneurial spirit opportunities that have never before been possible. Two out of three new businesses being started today are based in the owner's home. Most of these SOHOs (small office/home office) will reach an impasse very quickly-- they will be spending so much time on administrative tasks that they can no longer concentrate on growing their business. In short, they're going to need help.
Traditionally, the need for assistance has left the small business owner with several bleak options-- hire an expensive "temp" for a bandaid-style solution, take on a great deal of expense and responsibility with a "permanent" employee, or-- perhaps worst of all-- turn away work. Enter the Virtual Assistant-- the ultimate SOHO growth partner!
The online community has embraced the Virtual Assistant movement with gusto. There are now Virtual Assistant practices in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia, and New Zealand, and with the buzz in the business community, the demand for Virtual Assistants is increasing globally. Business owners realize the Virtual Assistant/SOHO relationship is a win-win in the truest sense. Without having to hire staff, bring in extra equipment, or share their space, the SOHO gets the support they need so that they can concentrate on growing their business and the VA (also a SOHO) has an opportunity to stretch their entrepreneurial wings as CEO of their own company.
Work assignments are communicated through e-mail, phone, fax, mail, diskette transfer, and real-time online messaging. The services offered by Virtual Assistants vary from one individual to the next, based on their area of expertise. In addition to administrative support (word processing, scheduling, telephone service, etc.), many Virtual Assistants offer other, more specialized skills-- competitive research, Web site design, legal research, accounting, bookkeeping services, marketing support, translation, technical writing, etc. Virtual Assistants are becoming the de facto growth partners of SOHOs all over the world-- offering the SOHO executive full professional assistance with a variety of support responsibilities at the click of an e-mail icon.
The virtual nature of these relationships lends itself easily to the transient lifestyle which is so much a part of military family life. What makes a Virtual Assistant's business portable? Essentially, his or her Web site. While the Virtual Assistant may market him/herself "off-line" just as any other businessperson might-- brochures, local or regional networking, seminoars, etc.-- their "storefront" is an address on the World Wide Web, and much of their marketing will be done via the Internet, through mailing lists or "listservs," newsletters, direct e-mail, and the plethora of other marketing vehicles available online. Since there is rarely any need for the Web address to change, the Virtual Assistant's principle "location" remains constant wherever they go. The typical Virtual Assistance client, too, is flexible on the physical location of the Virtual Assistance, since the work rarely depends on the "street addres" of the Virtual Assistant's business.
Virtual Assistants bill by the hour (though occasionally by the project), at rates ranging from $15-$25, depending on the specialty. The hour arrangements makes Virtual Assistants especially attractive to the smaller business, since it can more easily control its expenditures, and needn't worry that salaries will be payable when the workflow ebbs.
Are You Virtual Assistant Material?
Chris Durst, founder of the Virtual Assistant industry, answers some frequently asked questions that will help you decide if a virtual assisting practice might be right for you.
Is there a minimal skill set I must have to be a Virtual Assistant?
Every Virtual Assistant comes to the table with their own unique skills-- there is no "right" or "wrong" skill set for a Virtual Assistant, although naturally the broader their skills, the more marketable a Virtual Assistant will be.
We find that Virtual Assistants who have solid "core" skills are quite successful. These skills include working knowledge of the Internet, computer usage, and software. Basic word processing and spreadsheet capabilities are a definite plus!
Skills range from the basics listed above to highly-specialized areas like web design, graphic arts, "foreign" market expertise and/or language translation ability, technical writing, and more.
What Equipment Must I Have to Launch a Virtual Assistant Practice?
A Virtual Assistant should look at equipment acquisitions as investments of valuable capital that will be made only after a careful analysis of the practice's needs. It is possible to launch a successful practice with very little equipment. Start with:
* a computer with Internet access (a dedicated line for the modem is best,
if possible);
* a telephone with voicemail or an answering machine;
* a fax machine or computer-based fax capability;
* basic software applications (Microsoft, Corel, and Lotus are sound investments
for most).
Individuals providing specialty services will know which tools of the trade are necessary.
Can I Transition to a Virtual Assistant Practice Gradually and Keep My Present Job Until My Practice "Flies"?
ABSOLUTELY! It is said that every great journey starts with a single step-- you simply need to decide how large or small that first step will be for you. Financial, lifestyle, or other considerations often dictate that we make a gradual change.
Easing into your Virtual Assistant practice on a part-time basis is one of the safest and least painful ways to make the transition. Many new VAs keep their regular employment while building their practice "after hours." Both jobs can coexist peacefully; however, it will require some careful planning.
Make sure that your clients understand the limitations of your hours from the start, and be certain that you take into consideration the effect this transitional period will have on the significant others in your life (military partner, kids, etc.) You are sure to be working longer hours as you establish your practice, but it is a sound way to make the transition from employee to entrepreneur.
Finally, Durst suggests you ask yourself these questions:
* Are you a self-starter?
* Do you like to work with dynamic people?
* Are you confident about your ability to get the job done?
* Are you trustworthy and honest?
* Are you creative?
* Can you adapt to rapid change?
* Do you have good problem-solving skills?
* Can you set goals and follow them to completion?
If you can answer "Yes" to most of these questions, and you've got solid skills and lots of motivation, you are indeed "Virtual Assistant Matierial."
Resources
Learn more about virtual assisting on the web by visiting these sites:
* International Virtual Assistants Association (IVAA) IVAA is the certifying
parent organization for the virtual assisting industry, working to develop and
maintain professional standards and help ensure the reputation, growth, and
future strength of the industry and its members individually.
* Global Association of Virtual Assistants (GAVA) GAVA is a professional organization
for Virtual Assistants. The "member's only area" contains reference
material and resources. GAVA's purpose is to "promote and support the businesses
of Virtual Assistants around the globe."
* Staffcentrix, LLC Staffcentrix is an incubator for virtual assistants-- showing
people how to launch and grow independent Virtual Assistant businesses on the
Internet. Staff centrix waives membership fees for the spouses of those on active
duty in the U.S. armed forces.
* A Clayton's Secretary A Clayton's Secretary is a Virtual Assistant referral
and support service.
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Chris Durst contributed this article at the invitation of The Career Coach. Virtual Assisting is an example of the innovative, new careers that are emerging as a result of growth in the information industries and the changing way we do business. Virtual Assisting is a career that seems to be tailor-made to the mobile military lifestyle, and its global/virtual perspective means it is a small business opportunity that truly PCSs with you! If you're thinking of becoming a Virtual Assistant and working from your home in government quarters, be sure to see Operating a Home-Based Business From Your Government Quarters.
Opening a Business SUCCESSFULLY
Ø Research, research, research. Before I opened my business, I spent over a week finding whatever information that I could on being a Virtual Assistant. Much to my husband’s happiness (or lack of), I printed every article I could find on the business of Virtual Assistance.
Ø Have a plan. You can have a formal business plan, or you can have an outline of what you plan for your business. My original business plan was written solely for my guidance purposes and it was 7 pages printed. It was informal, and referenced many of the articles I read. The plan helped guide me and keep me on track. Remember to be flexible, and change your plan when the need arises. No matter if you’ve been in business for 3 months or 10 years, figure out where is the next step your business is going, don’t let it stagnate.
Ø Establish policies and procedures. How are you going to handle payment? Are you going to have a contract (I advise, YES)? How will you handle communication with a client? How do you plan to communicate project needs? What about payment, what forms will you accept? I could go on and on with questions you need to have answered BEFORE you open your doors to a client. I literally lost a client because I had not answered these questions, and rushed into business before thinking things through.
Ø Organization. Organization can make or break you. Are you able to find clients information or do you have to dig? Where will you put finished projects and projects you are working on? What will your filing system look like? Look at where you are working, and decide, how can I make this work for me?
Ø Time management. This is crucial to be successful. Create a schedule and stick to it. Get your family to respect your schedule if you work out of your home.
Ø Add new “niches”. Spice up your business and expand it for your clients by continuing to grow in the services you offer. As a former teacher, I learned very quickly that the degree was not the end of my learning. The profession changed day by day and year by year, so I was in “training” almost as much as my students were in class. The same is true for small businesses. Software changes, as well as client needs change. Are you open to these changes? Continually educate yourself through articles, classes, and talking with other professionals in your business.
Ø Most importantly, don’t forget why you opened your own business. Whether it was to stay at home with your children, be your own boss, or do something you love, remember your reason when you become frustrated and want to give up.
Opening a new business is rewarding, exciting, and sometimes even fun. On the other hand, it can be frustrating, time consuming, and exhausting. In the end, the rewards outweigh the frustrations, so stick with your goals and dreams!
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Patty Benton is the owner of JERPAT Virtual Assistants and JERPAT Web Design, www.moretime4u.org, which provides affordable administrative and web design support to coaches, small businesses, religious organizations, and realtors. Additionally, Patty is a coach for new entrepreneurs interested in venturing into the virtual assistance industry that is affordable to all, and she has also written an e-book that takes virtual assistants through the process of setting up their business. Visit her coaching site at www.virtualvacoach.com for program details and great business resources. She has also partnered to establish the ministry Acknowledging Christ Together at Work www.actatwork.com. If you would like to receive Patty's articles and other tips in your mailbox every month, you can sign up at www.mortime4u.org/home.html.
Self-Care
We all need to replenish and recharge. How full is your cup?
I have just completed a project I have been working on with a corporate client for 2 years. Of which the past 6 weeks I have been glued to my chair and the last two living in my office. As a result my cup is pretty empty.
It has reminded me just how important self-care is, especially when you are self-employed and work at home. It can be very easy to slip into the office after hours and on weekends to get ahead or get caught up. There is a cost, however, are you willing to pay the price?
What is self-care?
Yes there are things like bathing, brushing your teeth, combing your hair, shaving etc. However, the self-care we are talking about is more extreme than daily hygiene.
Self-care is also about taking time to nurture yourself. Making and taking
the time to do the things you enjoy, things that replenish and rejuvenate you.
It will look different for everyone but what it does have in common is that
it makes you feel good!
What are some things I can do?
Read a book, go for a walk, paint your nails, go golfing, give yourself a facial, go fishing, get a massage, go skiing, meditate, go hiking, journal, go bike riding, sit in the sun, go horseback riding, dye your hair, go boating, work in your garden, go for a drive, walk the dog, go workout, have a nap, go swimming, paint a picture, go camping, pick some flowers, go snowmobiling, write a poem, go ski diving, bake some bread, go skating, do some knitting, go snowboarding, take a bath, go for a run etc. etc. etc. I’m sure you get the idea.
While you may feel physically tired after your self-care it is a good healthy
tired not a stressed on the edge tired. Do whatever you need to fill your cup.
How often should I be practicing self-care?
While it may depend on what you are doing and the time of year I recommend
a minimum of every two weeks and ideally to have it become part of your daily
routine. Taking the time each day to do something you enjoy that will take you
away from your work and the stresses of everyday life. You are worth it!
Why is it important?
The nature of the VA profession requires us to give a lot to our clients. We are there to support them in many different ways. Administratively, creatively, strategically, mentally, and sometimes emotionally. And this is in addition to the other roles you may play as mother, wife, sister, father, husband, brother or friend. When you keep giving of yourself without replenishing, your cup will be empty. When this happens things start to break down.
Some of the ways you may see this show up is in a lack of focus, communication
breakdowns, reduced people skills, irritability, resentments towards clients
and/or tasks, poor work quality, and generally not enjoying what you are doing
or having fun. The cost is steep.
What are the benefits?
By nurturing yourself you then have something to nurture and support others with. You can’t give what you don’t have. You will be happier, more content, more relaxed, healthier, have more self-esteem, more energy, more vitality and have more fun.
You will be able to stay focused and present for your clients. They are worth it too!!
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Mary-Lou Ashon successfully launched her Virtual Assistant company in 1997 and holds expertise in organizing information, creation and implementation of administrative procedures and marketing. She has proven that dedication, communication, loyalty and a flare for marketing are keys to developing successful client relationships. Mary-Lou has a keen desire to promote awareness of VAs as a career option both internationally and at home in Canada and has developed a cost effective, convenient and high quality training program which you can locate at http://vatp.ca/.
Should I Start A Virtual Assistant Business?
If you have strong administrative skills, an office set up at home or plan to and would like to run your own business from home, being a VA is a great option. This field has emerged as an ideal alternative for moms who want to work from home. Working virtually means you can work with clients nationwide or worldwide. Just keep time zones in mind when accepting new clients.
Although most VA’s offer secretarial services many have created niche markets providing their own brand of services. Specialties, for example, include web design, graphic design, customer service, research, marketing and public relations. The field is not limited to those examples, however. Be clear on the services in which you will specialize. It is important to do a few things very well as opposed to struggling with a large number of tasks.
Clients are most often small businesses and will hire a VA to save money. Since you are working from home you use your own equipment and clients incurs no employment costs like taxes and benefits. You are responsible for your own taxes as an independent contractor. Virtual assistants can support just about any industry. The ones hiring VA’s most often include real estate, coaching, financial services, accounting and legal.
You can learn how to become a VA and earn certification through one of many online training organizations. These organizations work with your existing skills and teach you how to create, operate and become successful in your VA business. Many refer you to your first virtual assistant job. You should research training providers well before paying for training.
Starting a VA business is not easy. Expect to work between 14 and 18 hours a day during start-up. Many VA’s work unconventional hours including weekends and holidays. Be sure your lifestyle will support that commitment. It is important to keep marketing your business even after you are established. A great way to market your services is by joining networking organizations. The people you meet can introduce you to potential customer.
What will I Earn?
Virtual Assistants usually charge by the hour. Rates range from $25 - $50 per hour. Some VA’s work with clients on a retainer. The VA is paid up front and the client sends work when needed.
If You Wish To Be A VA…
• Determine what services you’d offer. (Your background/qualifications)
• Decide if you will work part-time or full-time.
• Will you have a specialty area? Limit that to two or three areas.
• Try to determine the need for your services locally. Many of your clients can be local contacts from networking.
• Know your financial situation, expenses, expected income and how long you can carry-on until you begin making money.
• Carefully research and enroll in a Virtual Assistant training program.
Read more about starting a VA business at http://www.smart-moms-online.com/freelanceemployment/tabid/104default.aspx.
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Michelle Yanik, is co-owner of Smart Moms, a company committed to being the top online resource for moms who want to earn money from home and find work/life balance. Sign up for our information packed e-newsletter and get a complimentary copy of our e-book, Striking A Balance at http://www.smart-moms-online.com.
So…You Want To Be A Virtual Assistant
http://www.projectvirtualassistant.com
There are many reasons people give to want to work out of their homes. The main reason I hear? “I get to work in my jammies!” As a matter of fact, I think I may have even heard that come from my own lips when I began working for Project Virtual Assistant.
Virtual Assistants work from home. We produce letters, memos, and complex manuals. We develop databases, write reports and perform a multitude of “office work.” Virtual Assistants use our own supplies, computers, office space and time to produce for other companies what they are unable to efficiently produce for themselves. Let’s take a look at what that really entails. If you are thinking about becoming a Virtual Assistant, you may think you have stumbled across the best thing since sliced bread, and for some it is. To determine if you are one of those chosen few who are capable of successfully working from home you need to explore the deep, dark areas of your own psyche. Are you prepared to face that? If so, here we go…
In the real world, your alarm clock goes off, and if you are anything like me, you hit the snooze button for about 15 minutes, and then you arise to face the day. More than likely you make a pot of coffee, glance through the newspaper (online or in hard copy), and hit the showers. In larger cities, your time is dependent upon the train or bus schedule, the amount of traffic you will meet during rush hour or the child you must get off to school. By 9 am, you have already “worked” several hours and now you are headed to another 8+ hours of “real” work.
Now, you imagine yourself a Virtual Assistant, working from home: The greener side of the fence. Alarm clock? Most likely, if you have children, you have a built in alarm that forbids you sleep past 5 am. But even so, the pace is more relaxed. You can check in with your work projects at any time, day or night, via your computer. Breakfast with your kids and/or significant other becomes more of a reality. You can start work when you please, your only deadline being that of your client. All your attention, for the period of that project can be focused on one task. As you progress, you will easily be able to take on several projects at a time, and arranging the ones you choose around your life and schedule. But think about it. How much can be accomplished in pajamas? If you are the type of person who needs immediate stimulation upon waking to get the juices flowing, you may want to rethink the pajamas idea.
Here are a few guidelines that are imperative for a Virtual Assistant working from home:
1. Set a work schedule
Get up and get going! Don't fall into bad habits by working “when you
feel like it.” Sure it's great to work from home, but remember this is
your business and WORK is the vital part of keeping your business going.
2. Take a shower and get dressed
Just because you are in your own home, don't get overly comfortable. Get up,
shower and get dressed. Working in comfortable clothes is ok – but don't
do it in your jammies. Pajamas are for sleeping and subconsciously your mind
and body know this. Get dressed and you will be motivated.
3. Nourish your mind and body
Take sufficient time to fuel your mind and body. Make sure that you eat breakfast
and lunch. If you jump into to working right off – you may forget to eat
and this will not help you to produce your best work.
4. Give yourself a break!
You will be working at your computer all day long. Short stretch breaks, and
even a brisk walk outside will loosen tight muscles and refresh you.
5. Keep busy
The great thing about being a Virtual Assistant is its flexibility. However,
it is imperative that you stick to your schedule – even if you have no
assignments pending for the day. There is always something you can be working
on - be it your website, your database, or promoting your business. Don't rob
yourself of your own hard work and talent. Time off should be scheduled not
spontaneous.
Time management has been the key to my success as a VA with Project Virtual Assistant at http://www.projectvirtualassistant.com. Companies that employ our services must meet deadlines of their own, and call upon us to help them with their goals. We have the realization that while “our time” may seem like our own, in reality it is dedicated to each deadline until completion.
In short - the control you have as a virtual assistant is to keep focused on your goals and to pick and choose which projects work best for you. Starting out, this may not be an option, and may become just as hectic and time consuming as going into an office everyday, but trust me, once you get your feet wet it won’t be long before you are doing the backstroke in the world of the Virtual Assistant.
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~~Angela Ward, has been writing interesting and sometimes even informative articles
for most of her adult life. She uses her background in office work and IT to
assist, virtually, anyone who requests her services. Learn more about her at
http://www.projectvirtualassistant.com.
**This article is free to be reprinted as long as the author's bio remains intact.
(November 13, 2007)
Start a Virtual Assistant Business At Home
You’re ready-You’ve finally got it-The top of the line, 800 MHz, 512 MB SDRAM, computer with all the bells and whistles. It walks, it talks, it connects at the speed of sound, and has everything you’d ever need, plus some, but will it make you money? Absolutely!!! And we’re going to show you how!
There are numerous ways to utilize your computer for a work at home jobs. The key is finding the right one for you. First you need to consider your skills and expertise and most importantly, what you enjoy doing. Remember, it’s a combination of the three that makes for a winning business.
Those with good secretarial and Internet skills might want to consider word processing, whereas those with a flair for figures might prefer accounting or bookkeeping. For those who live on the web and love a good hunt, how about Internet researching. Then there’s always resume consulting, real estate transaction coordinators, etc. The possibilities are limitless and with the growth of the Internet, and the advancement in technology today, it just keeps getting better and better!
And now the really GOOD NEWS! These can all be tied into one business -- one industry that is growing at an unbelievable rate -- that can encompass all of these specialties, the VIRTUAL ASSISTANT INDUSTRY. Naturally you don't need to do all these specialties, but with no limitations, you can work worldwide for clients doing any of these.
This industry is regularly featured in the media in such well-known publications as Time Magazine and CNN News, to name just a few. Virtual Assistant businesses are also listed in many of the latest home-based business books and magazines in the top one or two of the top 10 home-based businesses to start.
What is a Virtual Assistant? Virtual Assistants provide service from a home office to anywhere in the world using their high-speed access, e-mails, fax machines as well as many web-based applications. They handle word processing, event planning, real estate transactions, legal briefs, medical transcription, Internet research, event planning, and so much more. The virtual revolution has truly begun and businesses are taking full advantage of the expertise of these professionals.
Corporate professionals, doctors, attorneys, etc., are realizing that they can rely on these professional VAs to keep their businesses running smoothly and often better than before because of their advanced training and knowledge. Lawyers are practicing law. CEOs are handling business and growing their business with the new technology we are showing them and realtors -- they are out their selling homes!! Everyone is happy.
How do you start a business? Here's just a few pointers!
Once you decide on starting a business, the first thing you’ll want to do is to write everything down. All your thoughts and dreams and how you plan to achieve them. Decide on the hours you want to work, the price you want to charge, the marketing you plan to implement, the equipment and supplies required, and your goals and visions for your business. This is your plan for success. This is essential. Too many leave this vital step out and then don’t have a clear focus for their business.
Then research and read everything you can on starting your business. Find out how the pros have done it and gain from their experience. Look to the Internet. Find message boards and chats that relate to the area that you want to go into. Often times these are managed by people who have been in business for years, the real pros, and are willing to share their experience. Not only will you gain their expertise, but also that of those who frequent the boards. These will be others who are starting a home business, or who are succeeding in business, and willing to share their knowledge with you.
Do a search on the Internet for Virtual Assistant Businesses and associations. Find the common denominators. What associations do most belong to? What services do most offer? This is just research, but it will help in providing you ideas for what you want to do with your business. Look to their links page and check out their links. This is especially true for those organizational websites. Again, write down all your findings. Don't copy!!! You don't want to have what everyone else has. But this helps provide you with valuable information on the benefits of what a virtual assistant is and what a virtual assistant can do.
Sign up for newsletters! The knowledge is tremendous and the motivation well worth it!
Get additional training if necessary. Once you decide what you want to do, then find out exactly what other skills you will need to make it possible. For virtual assistants, I highly recommend Virtual Assistance U for additional training.
With all your knowledge that you have now, and it all written down in your plan, you’re ready to take the next steps in starting a business, your business. Your dream! Enjoy and remember nothing is impossible as long as you give it your all.
Here are just a few sites that I recommend: www.virtualwordpublishing.com, www.vanetworking.com, www.work-the-web.com, www.GuruNET.net, www.revanetwork.com, www.another8hours.com, www.bizymoms.com, www.mtdaily.com, www.mtmonthly.com, www.Ryze.com, and www.iVillage.com.
As the Virtual Assisting Industry continues to grow, start your business now. It’s easy to do, destined for success, and enjoyable to operate! Now that’s my kind of business!
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Diana Ennen, Author: Up Close & Virtual, A Practical Guide to Starting Your Own Virtual Assistant Business, 2nd Edition (Available at Amazon, Borders, & www.virtualwordpublishing.com), & Words From Home: How To Start a Home-Based Word Processing Business, www.virtualwordpublishing.com, DeeEnnen@aol.com. (E-mail me for a free 20-page booklet on getting started.)
Starting a Business as a Virtual Assistant
VA's get to set their own rates, their own hours and most importantly, get to pick and choose as to who they will and won't take as clients. They can choose what duties they are willing to perform and what duties are not in the repertoire. They can start their own VA firms or gain business through those already established. And with the boom of the Internet, virtual assistants are in becoming more and more utilized by companies around the globe.
According to the Virtual Business Alliance, virtual assisting (of whom most are female) will be a 130 billion dollar industry before the year 2008. In fact, many women see the trend and are entering the field with high hopes of where they can be a few years from now.
Christina Cole is the owner of www.virtualcontentandmore.com – a virtual assisting business who caters primarily to webmasters looking for content and link development services – and has found being a VA to be very rewarding. "I started my business by doing odd services for friends of mine who owned multiple websites and became overwhelmed due to too many things needing to be done and not enough time. I liked the work and before I knew it, those friends had referred me to friends and I had a full time booming business."
While not all VA's have "formal" training, some of them elect to by attending VA courses like those offered through VirtualAssistanceU and AssistU.But, if a person has good business sense, marketing skills and a passion, like all entrepreneurs, it is doable with or without "formal training".
But, beware of some pitfalls – many virtual assistants end up working long hours (as with any start up business) in the first few years and some continue to work odd and/or long hours well after their practice becomes successful. Be sure you are willing to put in the time to make your VA service a success.
Try to find a niche to focus on – a way to make yourself stand out from the crowd. Have a proper home office in place and figure out what your rates will be – and remember to advertise, advertise, advertise – be it via paid efforts or by making a "brand" out of your name. Christina advises, "Don't think that because you've hung out your shingle or built your website that clients will begin to bang down your door. Contribute to the business communities, brand yourself, brand your agency and let people know what you can do for them. The ability to market your business and yourself is extremely important in this business."
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Audrey Hoffman is a successful entrepreneur who owns several businesses – including http://www.speedy-incorporation.com – a site that offers information about incorporating a business online as well as simple LLC formation in all 50 states.
Strength In Numbers
Now, that’s not to say that we can afford to sit back and wait for new clients to come to us. We still need to promote our industry and ourselves as much as we can. For many of us, as is true for most small business owners, advertising budgets are limited. So, taking out a full-page ad in a business publication is not always an option.
But, as the old saying goes, ‘there’s strength in numbers’!
For most industries, the thought of working together with your competitors would send shivers up your spine. Industry members don’t see the advantages, but rather the pitfalls, of working together. For the most part, the VA industry doesn’t seem to follow that path of fear.
Sure, if a Request For Proposal (RFP) arises from a potential client, then we are competing with each other for that individual project. But, that doesn’t mean that we can’t associate and work together with each other to increase our exposure. It’s not exactly at strategic alliance kind of situation, but it is a necessity that we band together to increase the need for our services.
One way of doing this is to refer your fellow VA’s for projects that may be beyond your capabilities. For instance, I design award-winning websites. I can format a template and arrange the content to be appealing to the site visitor. I even try my hand at designing icons and enhancing photos to increase load times and to be visually appealing.
But, when it comes to the ‘big stuff’, such as company logos and page headers, I rely on my partner-in-crime, Kathy Ritchie.
So, when a new web design client comes on board, one of the first things I ask is if they have a company logo. You see, I try to design the website around the look and colours of the company’s logo. Well, if they don’t have a logo, I send them to Kathy.
Not only does this referral send some business Kathy’s way, it also shows the client that I am more than willing to help them in any way I can, even if it means giving work to someone else. The client feels appreciated and is more likely to refer both of us on to others.
Another means of helping to increase the visibility of our industry is to write articles about the advantages o