If you’re anything like me, you’ve likely spent hours scrolling down the Google rabbit hole searching for ways to make money online. You’re intrigued by the idea of starting your own business, but you’re just not sure where to start.
And your brain is filled with burning questions that need answers… “Do I have any marketable skills?” “What kind of business can I create?” “How do I start getting clients?” “What should I charge?” The list goes on and on.
Luckily for you, I help women learn how to leverage their skills to launch and scale a profitable (and fun!) virtual assistant business. Ready to learn how to jumpstart your VA business? Let’s dive in!
The Basics
Soooo, what’s a virtual assistant, anyway? A VA serves as an extra pair of hands in someone’s business, creating time for busy entrepreneurs by taking on tasks the business owner can’t do, shouldn’t do, or doesn’t want to do. VAs specialize in a variety of tasks, from scheduling appointments, to managing inboxes, to providing technical support, to designing presentations or graphics, and much more.
What do you need to be a VA?
As you plan to launch your own virtual assistant business, there are a few things you’ll need to get started: Internet access and a computer are absolute musts! (You really can’t run a biz from your phone.) You’ll need plenty of time to commit to your business’s growth, because this isn’t going to happen overnight. Open-mindedness and a strong positive mindset? Totally essential. You’ll also need rock-solid problem-solving skills that can be applied to both your business and your client work.
What are your first steps?
Now that you’ve decided to give it a go as a VA, what are your next steps? Here are a few places to start:
- Make it official by checking your state regulations, applying for an EIN, and opening a business bank account.
- Decide on a business name by asking yourself a few key questions: Is the domain available for this name? Can I grow with this name? Should I just use my name?
- Set your core services and offers by starting with what you know. Don’t overcomplicate it! And remember, you can always expand your offerings as your business grows.
- Identify your ideal client. Who are your services for? Narrow in on one specific persona or target audience and get to know them like the back of your hand. What do they do? What do they believe in? Where do they spend their time online? Understanding these things is essential to satisfying the needs of the people you’ll work with.
- Set your prices, keeping in mind the fact that what you charge—whether an hourly rate, packages, or retainer fees—isn’t what you take home at the end of the day. You have to consider things like non-billable time, overhead, taxes, etc. A VA with general admin skills might charge $25-40 per hour. Someone with advanced skills might charge $30-50 per hour. And someone with more specialized skills might charge $50+ per hour. Need help setting your prices? Download my plug-and-play hourly rate calculator here!
- Lock in your branding and marketing so you stand out from the crowd and start attracting clients! Set up your social media accounts and put together a portfolio and/or website. In order to be really effective, marketing needs to be a daily activity. Some great ways to market your business are through social media (pick 1-2 platforms and post consistently), networking (leverage friends, family, former colleagues, etc.), and building relationships (through Facebook groups, LinkedIn, email, and social media).
Find the JOBS!
You’re only limited by your own personal determination to make your dreams come true!
#1. FlexJobs.com – https://www.flexjobs.com [ GO HERE ]
Flex jobs is the king of remote / work from home jobs. All of the jobs are 100% verified. They have everything from data entry, management, customer service. YOU Name it. It’s a great place to start.
#2. Virtual Vacation’s – https://www.virtualvocations.com/
#3. JobPresso – https://jobspresso.co/
#4. We Work Remotely – https://weworkremotely.com/
#5. Working Nomads – https://www.workingnomads.co/jobs
#6. Remote – https://www.remote.io/
#7. Remote OK – https://remoteok.io/
#8. Skip The Drive – https://www.skipthedrive.com/
#9. Remote Work Hub – https://remoteworkhub.com/
#10. Pangian – https://pangian.com/
#11. Search for ” VA’s ” on Facebook and join some VA Groups. Also, join some ” boss Mom’s ” groups on Facebook.
#12. Freeeup.com
#13. , https://www.upwork.com/
The opportunities are endless!
What comes next?
Once you’ve laid the foundation for your virtual assistant biz and you have a strong marketing plan in place, the leads will come pouring in! After someone inquires with you, you may choose to hop on a discovery call with the potential client. These calls are not interviews, but rather a chance for you to better understand the person’s needs and see how well you might work together.
If the discovery call goes well and it feels like a good fit, the client will choose to move forward working with you! Pop the champagne, friend. You deserve to celebrate! Next up is to seal the deal with a contract and invoice; the client must sign and pay before any work is started. Then, it’s onto client onboarding, where you’ll get the information you need from them and they’ll get the information they need from you.
Tips for Success
I know you’ve got what it takes to start and scale a thriving VA business! Here are some tips for success from someone who’s been in your shoes:
- Establish organized systems and processes around the different areas of your business like operations, marketing, sales, and work delivery. The smoother these things run, the more efficient (and successful) you’ll be.
- Get accountability by hiring a coach or finding a community of supportive business owners. And remember—you don’t have to figure everything out on your own, friend. Entrepreneurship is hard enough without spinning your wheels trying to put together all the puzzle pieces by yourself.
- Utilize time blocking to stay on-task and accomplish everything you need to in order to reach your goals.
- Prioritize progress over perfection. After all, done is better than perfect, right? So much of being a business owner is taking messy action. So don’t let your fears hold you back from taking small steps toward your dreams every single day!
This is just the tip of the iceberg of what it means to run a virtual assistant business, but hopefully now you have a better understanding of how to jumpstart your VA biz! Have questions? Feeling overwhelmed or like you need support? Let’s work together to turn your big business dreams into a reality! Learn more about how I can help you here, drop me a line at [email protected], or DM me on Insta to get started.
