2010 – The Year Of The Virtual Assistant
First off, what is a virtual assistant (VA)? In my opinion, a virtual assistant is a like a secretary on steroids. A VA is usually someone who works with people, supplying them first class, high quality support services, without having to be actually present at a client’s company. Virtual Assistants’ expertise are becoming much more popular, thanks to technology such as email, the Internet, online instant messaging, fax, phone, and overnight delivery. Gone are the days of offices needing their support staff in the same building.
If you have a clerical history or other support staff experience, plus a love for computers as well as all the technology it offers, then begin building your own VA operation this year.
1. Make An Income You Can Live On
It was reported by virtual assistant trade organizations that the common full-time VA working in the US, can average around $39,452 on a yearly basis. Now that isn’t a bad a living!
That is the type of money you can live on, even if you are a single mom, or an out of work dad.
2. The Need For VA’s Is Only Going To Get Greater
With respect to the George Washington University forecast of emerging technology, the virtual assistant market is over a $130 Billion industry. Thanks to our growing technology, and the fact that it’s easier to just out source work to a Virtual Assistant, and due to the fact that a business won’t have to pay for any benefits when they out-source, the type of services that a VA can offer will only increase in demand.
3. Learn To Love Your Job Again
Have you been dreading getting dressed, driving to work, and working with a boss who is ungrateful and unappreciative? Do you like some parts of your job and hate other parts? Do you wish you could do the parts you love more? Then becoming a VA should be something you need to look into.
4. You Can Work From Home
Want the power to work from home and have a better chance to succeed?
It’s possible you’re thinking of having kids, or have had your first baby. It could be that you want to continue your career, but you also want to spend more time with your children. Take a good hard look at the world of a VA. This sort of home-based business will continue to give you the satisfaction of a career, while also offering you the ability to be there for your kids doctor appointments, their first step, school field trips, and running them around to after school events.
5. Only Work With Those You Want To
Do you want to ability to pick and choose your client’s? With a VA home business, you can choose who you want your customers to be. Online marketers, salesmen, trainers, coaches, business owners, businessmen, and small enterprise owners are just a few of the types of people you could work with.
6. Do A Variety Of Things All Day Long
Seeking for a little choice in your business? Don’t want to get stuck doing the same thing over and over again? The following is a list of some of the things you can do as a Virtual Assistant.
Administrative Services
Writing services (technical or creative)
Business/employee calls
Proofreading and editing, background work (online or traditional)
Word-processing/Typing
Spreadsheets
Data entry
Database management
Message management
Scheduling
Bill paying
Website design
Newsletter distribution
Bulk mailing
Reminder services
Event planning
Special projects
Concierge services
Secretarial services
Research
Data processing/data management
Desktop publishing
Transcription services
Mail and email services
Telephone/fax services
Internet services
Bookkeeping
Purchasing services
Writing/editing services
Marketing services
Personal services
Proposal writing
Just about anything that another business owner needs is a service that you could provide.
7. The Ability To Specialize
Decide on just a couple of the ideas above and take it one step further. Position yourself. You might already possess knowledge in a certain area. Contact those businesses you are already familiar with and see if they need some extra help. They already know you and your work ethic and it could be cheaper for them to hire you than give the work to an employee that they must pay wages, insurance and a host of other expenses. Perhaps in the past you had worked as support staff person for a marketing company. If marketing is your thing, you can let businesses know that you can not only be their VA and take care of all their typing and database applications, but that you can also use your expertise to help them market their business.
8. Make Use Of The Equipment You Have
If you are reading this article, then there’s a good chance you already have a computer, a printer, and fax capabilities. Why not start putting that equipment to good use and make some money?
9. Work As Much As You Want
Maybe you don’t want to work full time, but you need to make some money to help pay the bills or support your family. That is good! You’ll be your own boss; you can decide how much or how little you want to work.
10. Enjoy Your Work
If just the thought of working with your computer and current technology makes you giddy, why not make money doing something you love? Grab hold of the ability to make as much money as you are looking for and the capability to work from your house. You have the opportunity to decide who you want to work with, the variety of work you want to do or not do, and your specialization area. If this sounds like the ideal opportunity for you, then please consider starting your own Virtual Assistant Business.
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This article is a great starting pint for anyone interested in being a VA. I had no idea the potential income was so high. I took a look through some of the freelance websites and it seems there is so much competition for those offering VA services. Do you have any suggestions on how we can go about marketing our VA business?
Start at home and try to gain clients in your own local area.