Become A Virtual Assistant
By Leigh Hunt • Category: Internet Based Business IdeasDo you have administrative/secretarial experience? Would you like to take those skills and build a successful work from home career? If your answer is yes, then read on to learn about becoming part the growing Virtual Assistant industry.
A VA provides administrative, technical and/or design services from their own office, using advanced technology in communications and data delivery.
As one of the fastest growing work-from-home professions, a VA practice is relatively easy to set up with minimal start-up costs. As a VA you can charge anywhere between £15 and £30 per hour. The more formal qualifications you have, the more you are able to charge.
As a VA you will have the flexibility to work from home. Whilst you may need to be available to answer phone calls during working hours, for the most part you’ll be able to choose as and when you want to work.
To be a VA you’ll need attention to detail, and perfect organisational skills. You may be dealing with several clients at any one time, so an ordered system is a must. You’ll need to thrive on pressure and be able to meet deadlines efficiently. In terms of skills, you’ll need to be excellent at typing and word processing, with a working knowledge of certain applications, e.g. Microsoft Office. Some of the services a VA provides include data processing, spreadsheets, database management, telephone answering, filing, audio transcription, booking travel and events and general secretarial duties. To expand your services you might also offer bookkeeping, marketing, translation, internet research and web design. The more skills you can offer as a VA, the broader your range of potential clients will be, and the greater the earning potential you will have.
What opportunities are there for Virtual Assistants?
The VA industry is growing rapidly, largely due to improvements in telecommunications and Internet technology. With broadband and other services becoming widely available and considerably more affordable, it’s now viable for businesses to outsource day-to-day administrative tasks. In particular, small businesses and sole traders are relishing the opportunity to outsource admin as a reasonable cost, rather than hiring full-time staff, which to many small businesses is unaffordable.
What will you need to get started?
To get started you’ll need to allocate a space for your office, preferably in a separate room from your living space. You’ll need a computer (with up to date security and virus protection), broadband Internet connection, fax, printer and email. Due to the nature of your business, you’ll also need to set up a website. It doesn’t need to be anything too fancy, but somewhere clients can learn about your services. A website is also a great marketing tool, and the more professional it looks, the better it reflects on your business.
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Leigh Hunt is a proud work at home mum and serial Internet Mumpreneur. She's been running online businesses since 2002 and absolutely LOVES it! She loves it so much that she decided to start this webzine to support other mums (and dads) starting and running businesses online. She has finally embraced her passion!
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