Almost every day I am asked how to find a work from home job that does not require significant experience or a graduate degree. My answer is almost always the same: become a virtual assistant .
Why?
Because it is the most realistic way to make money from home while building on the skills you already have or while learning.
This article will teach you how to become a virtual assistant, where to find your first clients, and how to scale your business to earn money and work full time as a VA.
What is a virtual assistant and what do they do?
Virtual assistants, or AVs, are self-employed workers who provide administrative and technical assistance to businesses. Since all of the work is done online, virtual assistants can work from anywhere in the world.
Many small business owners outsource the work to virtual assistants so they can focus on growing their business. Virtual assistants are cost effective solutions for performing daily and routine tasks, freeing up business owners' time for large projects.
You don't need any type of degree or certification to start working as a VA. You just need to have skills and have enough experience to do it well for multiple clients.
But what does a virtual assistant actually do? In fact, they do a lot, depending on their skills, the needs of their clients, and the number of hours they can work each week.
How much do virtual assistants earn?
As with any job, the pay scale for virtual assistance varies. This can depend on a number of factors, including:
Type of work performed
level of experience
Hours worked per week
More experienced VAs who perform more highly technical tasks can earn up to $ 50 an hour, while new VAs can start at $ 20 an hour. As you develop your skills and build your customer base, you can increase your rates and overall rewards. The average annual salary for virtual assistants is just over $ 60,000 per year.
7 virtual assistant services in high demand
The potential tasks for a VA are limitless. As a virtual assistant, you decide what tasks you offer. So if there's something you really don't like to do (like re-read blog posts), you don't have to offer it in your service listing.
This list covers some of the most popular and requested online tasks virtual assistants can offer, but it only scratches the surface. When deciding what services to offer as a VA, be creative. Think about how you can use your unique skills and experiences to deliver value to your customers.
1.Customer service
2. Administrative support
3.Social media management
4.Website management
5.E-mail advertising
6. Facebook ads
7. Account maintenance
How to become a virtual assistant with no experience
If you are ready to start your own AV business, here are some steps you can take.
1. Take a virtual assistant training course
The idea of ??starting a business is daunting. Lucky for you, you are not alone.
When it comes to learning how to be a virtual assistant, Kayla Sloan is an expert. She started her AV business in 2014 and, in just over a year, was making over $ 10,000 per month.
Seeing that the demand for virtual assistants was high and above all very lucrative, she organized a course to help others follow her path. Kayla teaches aspiring AVs how to start their own businesses and find their first customers in her top selling 10KVA course.
You don't need to take a course to become a virtual assistant. However, if you're looking to speed up your VA business, learning from an expert can save you time and help you reach your goals faster.
The first step in getting started as a virtual assistant is to make a list of the services you will offer. If you're not sure, start by making a list of the things you already know how to do.
Do you run your own website or blog? If so, blog / website management could be on the list. Are you an online influencer? So maybe social media management is a good choice. Are you quick with designing spreadsheets? Offer data entry or spreadsheet management as a service.
Remember, this is not your final list. These are just your starting services. You can add services as you learn new skills and software.
3. Set your prices
Deciding how much to charge for your services is probably the hardest part of building your VA business. Be fair and competitive, but make sure you take advantage of it.
Most virtual assistant offers fall into four main price categories:
Hourly: Your client pays an hourly rate and you get paid for the time you work.
Project-Based: Your client pays a lump sum for a one-time project (creating social media accounts, designing a website, etc.).
Hourly Package: Your client pays a certain number of hours to be used over time. Depending on your contract, they may expire after a set amount of time, such as 6 months or a year.
Agent: Your client pays an ongoing monthly rate for a specific set of tasks or number of hours.
The easiest way to set your prices is to research what other AVs charge for similar services. Check out some of their websites, ask questions in Facebook groups, and do a quick Google search. Average these rates and you'll have a good place to start.
Take your skill level and experience into account when setting your prices. For example, if you've blogged for ten years but are new to AV, you may still charge a higher rate for this service. On the other hand, if you've never designed a Pinterest image before, you might want to start at the bottom of the pay scale for this service.
4. Find a business name
Every business needs a name, and that includes your AV business. While it doesn't have to be super creative or smart, you want it to be memorable, easy to spell, and you want to make sure it matches the brand you are creating.
When choosing a name, it helps with research. Do a quick Google search to find out what other AVs have named their businesses. Ask friends and family or your professional network what they think of the name.
If you get stuck, you can use resources like the Shopify Business Name Generator to help you.
You should also make sure that your business domain name is available. This is what you'll use when setting up your website, and your business name should match the URL you use to direct potential customers. If they are completely different, you run the risk of confusing your customers or inadvertently referring them to your competition.
Most importantly, you must be happy with the name. This is how you will represent yourself and your services to potential clients.
5. Choose your target market and the type of clients you would like to work with
Once you have a list of the services you provide, you need to determine what types of clients you would like to have. Are they small business owners? Lawyers? Website or blog managers?
Whoever your target customer is, give them a face. Create your ideal customer avatar. Name them, give them all the characteristics you want your clients to have (or not), and write down why you want to work with them.
Ask yourself if the work they do is interesting and if it is an industry that you are comfortable with. You should also note how you can help them and why they should choose you as the AV. This step is essential because it will help you create your marketing plan later.
6. Find out the legal details of starting your business
This is probably the most difficult step in starting your AV business, as it involves navigating a lot of legal jargon and government agencies. Unfortunately, since these are the foundation of your business, you cannot ignore this part.
A few things you will need to do:
Decide if you are going to operate as a sole proprietor or employ other people.
Obtain any licenses or permits
Write your customer contract
For this part of setting up your AV business, you may want to consult a lawyer or accountant to verify what you have done.
7. Build your website to promote your VA business
While building a website is not a requirement for getting your first customer or starting your VA business, having a website will make you look more professional and established. And it will give you a platform to direct potential customers.
Building a website is cheap and easy, and you don't need to hire someone to do it for you. Most websites can be designed with simple tools without programming knowledge and will look like a professional.
8. Choose a good payment method and keep track of your expenses and earnings
Your customers need a way to pay you, and you need a way to track your income and expenses.
While you can do this at first with a simple spreadsheet and a PayPal account, as your business grows and you gain more customers, you will need more robust services like FreshBooks or Quicken.
You should also consider opening a bank account and getting a credit card for your business expenses.
9. Develop your marketing strategy
Now that your business is ready to go, it's time to start marketing. Although many people find it difficult to advertise themselves, this is the most effective way to find customers.
If you already have social media accounts, you can use them to share your services or tell your friends, family, and professional network that you've started your own business.
If you want to separate your personal and professional life, you can create accounts for your AV services and advertise there.
If you already have a blog or website and have an email list, share your new business with your list. These are already people who support and follow you, so you can ask them to let their network know about your VA services.
You can also use Facebook ads or blog posts to do your online marketing. Flyers and business cards are great for advertising to potential face-to-face clients.
10. Network
Now is the time to get to know other AVs for tips, ideas, and leads on finding clients and feedback on your new business.
Networking is easier than you think. You can meet other AVs in online forums on Facebook, LinkedIn, or paid membership sites offered by experienced AVs. Online conferences and summits are another cost effective way to network with potential clients.
Using the internet for networking means you can do it from your bed and expose yourself to the world, making your clientele potentially global.
Events hosted by entrepreneurs are a simple and effective way to communicate with business owners. You can also attend meetings open to the general public or any other organization that connects community business owners.
Where to find virtual assistant jobs online (and offline)
Finding customers is often the hardest part for any new business owner, and you'll need to be proactive first. Fortunately, there are a few places to look.
Try freelance websites
Virtual assistant positions are relatively easy to find on freelance websites like Upwork and Fiverr . This could be a good fit if you are just starting out as a virtual assistant and don't have a lot of experience or training.
The jobs found on these sites tend to pay less. So if you take this option to start, you should try to increase your prices as you gain more experience and gain value for your customers. You can always renegotiate prices with customers at a later date.
Social networks
Let friends, family and business network know you're open for business by sharing your list of services on social media. Networking is a powerful tool. You would be surprised to know who knows someone who knows someone who is looking for help and can recommend you.
Local businesses
Contact small business owners in your area and ask if anyone might need help with the services you provide. Virtual assistance is still a relatively new field, so many physical business owners have yet to consider outsourcing with an AV.
Let them know what they're missing and convince them to hire you. It's also a great way to practice your marketing skills.
Partnership with influencers
Do you have a favorite blog or business that you religiously follow? Email the owner and ask if he needs help with any aspect of his business. Be brief, friendly, and confident in your pitch, and be sure to tell them what services you can offer them.
If they say they aren't looking for help right now, give them your website address and ask them to keep you in mind for future positions.
Subscribe to their newsletter if you are not already there. Online business owners advertise open virtual positions to their subscribers.
Meet other virtual assistants
Talking with other virtual assistants is a great way to grow your business. Not only will you get advice on pricing, services, and resources like training courses and conferences, but you can also find employment opportunities.
Often times, VAs will have clients who need services beyond what they can provide and will contact a colleague in their network to fill in the gaps. They can also share opportunities that they come across that they cannot seize for one reason or another.
Become a virtual assistant and work from home
è Working as a VA is an option for anyone who wants to work from home , regardless of their experience or education. It's easy to get started; all you need is your skills and your computer or smartphone (and a Wi-Fi connection)
You set the rates, the services you provide and the hours of work. Starting a virtual assistant business comes with minimal upfront costs, which makes it viable and accessible to most people. Don't be afraid to invest in your knowledge and take an online course like 10KVA .
While it can be difficult to land your first client, with marketing and networking done right, you will find that the opportunities to make money online as a virtual assistant are plentiful.
If you enjoyed this article explaining in detail how to become a virtual assistant, please leave a comment and ask your questions.
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