Start Your Own Virtual Assistant Business , livre ebook

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Entrepreneur ® STARTUP
START YOUR OWN Virtual Assistant Business
YOUR STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO SUCCESS
THE STAFF OF ENTREPRENEUR MEDIA AND JASON R. RICH
Entrepreneur Press ®
Publisher: Entrepreneur Press
Cover Design: Andrew Welyczko
Production and Composition: Eliot House Productions
© 2023 by Entrepreneur Media, Inc.
All rights reserved.
Reproduction or translation of any part of this work beyond that permitted by Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act without permission of the copyright owner is unlawful. Requests for permission or further information should be addressed to Entrepreneur Media, Inc. Attn: Legal Department, 18061 Fitch, Irvine, CA 92614.
This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other professional services. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.
Entrepreneur Press ® is a registered trademark of Entrepreneur Media, Inc.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Rich, Jason, author. | Entrepreneur Media, Inc., author.
Title: Start your own virtual assistant business: your step-by-step guide to success / the Staff of Entrepreneur Media, Inc. & Jason R. Rich.
Description: 1 Edition. | Irvine: Entrepreneur Press, [2022] | Series: Start your own | Includes index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2022037015 (print) | LCCN 2022037016 (ebook) | ISBN 9781642011142 (trade paperback) | ISBN 9781613084380 (epub)
Subjects: LCSH: Small business—Management. | Entrepreneurship. | Intelligent personal assistants (Computer software) | Success in business.
Classification: LCC HD62.7 .R534 2022 (print) | LCC HD62.7 (ebook) | DDC 658.022 $2 23/ eng/20220815—dcundefined
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022037015LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022037016
Printed in the United States of America
27 26 25 24 23 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Contents
Preface This Book Offers a Plethora of Advice from Experts Facts You Need to Know Upfront Chapter 1 Becoming a Virtual Assistant Choose a Pricing Model for Your Work VAs Typically Work from a Home Office Running a VA Business Makes You the Boss The Differences Between a Sole Proprietorship and Limited Liability Company VAs Always Need to Multitask VAs Typically Get to Choose Their Own Clients Additional Startup Considerations Choose Your Niche Compose Your Company’s Mission Statement Your Home Office Is Your Primary Work Space Creating Your Brand Your Time Matters Develop an Understanding of Each Client’s Needs Compose a Business Plan Get Ready to Take Control! Chapter 2 Potential Responsibilities of a Virtual Assistant Why Business Leaders and Companies Should Hire Virtual Assistants Define Your Niche as a VA Start Compiling Your Services Menu General Administrative Tasks Specialized Tasks Your Services Menu Your About Us Page Should You Start Your Own VA Business or Work with an Agency? Meet Lauren Gall, Cofounder of VaVa Virtual Assistants Meet Cindy Opong, Founder of Creative Assistants Meet Latrice Prater, Founder of The Digital Solutions Team Establish a Strong Foundation for Your Virtual Assistant Business Chapter 3 Branding Your Virtual Assistant Business Elements of a Company’s Brand The Company Name A Mission Statement and Slogan Your Company’s Logo Choose Your Domain Name Focus on Website Design Use Branded Social Media Content Use Personalized Email Accounts Don’t Forget Letterhead and Business Cards Your Business Phone Number It’s Time to Set Up Your Work Space Chapter 4 The Equipment You’ll Need Establish Your Home Office and Set Up Your Work Space Selecting Your Work Space Choose the Right Office Furniture Gather the Equipment You’ll Need The Software Tools You’ll Likely Need Take Advantage of Apps Designed Specifically for Virtual Assistants The Next Steps in Launching Your Own Virtual Assistant Business Chapter 5 Setting Your Pricing First Calculate Your Initial Investment and Cost of Doing Business Making an Initial Investment in Your Business Ongoing Fixed and Variable Business Expenses Financial Management Tax Matters How Will You Get Paid? What’s in the Financial Forecast? Common Pricing Options Used by Virtual Assistants Get Paid by the Hour Offer Prepaid Packages Charge a Retainer and Then a Discounted Hourly Rate Charge a Pre-Negotiated Flat Fee for Each Project More Strategies for Setting Your Rates You Won’t Land Any Clients Without Marketing, Advertising, and Promoting Your Business Chapter 6 Marketing Your Business to Find Clients A Social Media Presence Is a Must Email and/or Direct-Mail Marketing Paid Advertising Tap the Power of the Media with a PR Campaign “Experts Say …” In-Person and Online Networking Volunteer for Causes and Organizations You Care About Word-of-Mouth Promotion and Referrals Join Professional Associations Advice from Melissa Smith, Founder and CEO of the Association of Virtual Assistants Work for an Agency Find VA Listings on Job Websites You’ve Found a New Client—Now What? Chapter 7 Landing and Managing Your Clients Do Your Research The Client Interview Process The Onboarding Process Set Your Boundaries Spell It All Out in the Contract Sample Employment Contracts Between VAs and Clients Develop and Showcase Your Client Relations Skills Advice from Business Leaders Who Rely on VAs for Their Success Meet John Gotschall, CEO of Coaching Financial Concepts Meet Brad Farris, CEO of Anchor Advisors Meet Meredith Noble, Cofounder and CEO of SenecaWorks LLC Learn How to Manage Your Time Chapter 8 Managing Your Time and Work-Related Tools Time Management Basics Don’t Overextend Yourself Prioritize Your Clients Fairly Sometimes You May Want or Need to Turn Down Work 20 Additional Tips for Mastering Time Management Common Collaboration and Productivity Tools That’ll Help You Save Time Always Use the Right Tool for the Job Focus on Security Today and Save a Lot of Time Moving Forward Password Security and Management Are a Must Add Security and Privacy Extensions to Your Web Browser Take Advantage of a Virtual Private Network for Added Security Turn On the Password and Security Features in the Applications You Use Seek Out a Mentor Chapter 9 Experienced VAs Share Their Thoughts and Advice David Hogan, Throne Consulting Diana Ennen, Virtual Word Publishing Erin Dahlquist, Latchkey Marketing Felly Day, Felly Day VA Vickie Hadge, Virtually Done by Vickie Final Thoughts Glossary About the Author Index
Preface
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, working remotely was a privilege enjoyed by only a tiny percentage of the work force, even though it’s viable for many types of jobs. But during 2020 and 2021, a significant number of American workers were forced to work remotely—at least for a while. At the same time, previously popular jobs within corporate America became almost extinct, while others prospered in this new remote working environment.
While virtual assistants, as we know them today, have been around as long as the internet, these positions are now more diverse in terms of their responsibilities and more widely accepted than ever. In 2021 and beyond, working as a virtual assistant (or VA) is a prosperous career path for those choosing to pursue this line of work. Start Your Own Virtual Assistant Business offers a comprehensive look at what it takes to become a successful virtual assistant.
Every day, clients hire virtual assistants to complete a broad range of both common and highly specialized tasks. If you have specialized skills and/or experience in writing, bookkeeping/accounting, social media marketing, web design, travel planning/coordination, telemarketing, executive administration, data entry, booking appointments/scheduling, project management, database management, or research, for example, you can earn a higher income than a VA who handles more general or administrative tasks for clients. As a virtual assistant, set yourself apart from your competition by developing a niche.
► What Is a Virtual Assistant?
A virtual assistant is someone with a specific skill set who works for th