If you’re organised, smart, capable and willing to work to deadlines, you could start your own virtual assistant business. A virtual assistant is essentially an administrative assistant who works in a virtual capacity. Essentially this means that you run your own business, operated remotely from your home (or office) for one or more clients. You can offer services ranging from word processing and transcribing to a virtual receptionist and call centre or acting as a research assistant.
It’s a great way of using a diverse set of skills to run your own business from home. By the very nature of the job, you’ll be working on a wide range of projects at a time meaning it’s unlikely to become repetitive.
The downside is despite being your own boss you’ll have little flexibility to set your own hours – simply put you need to work when your clients need you, which is likely to be at least during normal office hours.
To get started you’ll need a computer, typical office software, an Internet connection a mobile phone and a phone line.
When marketing yourself your biggest challenge is likely to be explaining how to use your services to prospective clients. I would suggest you focus all your marketing on the main benefit you can offer them, that is, doing the administrative work so they can get on with their own business idea.
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This post is part of a series in my home business ideas week.
This blog is about business opportunities and ideas that I spot, think of or hear about and think are useful and interesting. It is intended to provide ideas and inspriation for you to help you find the right business idea for you to then grow it into a successful business.
Hello:
A Virtual Assistant can be more than an “administrative assistant.” You can take your practice to any level you want. You can generalize, niche. You can specialize in something you are great at, like writing or creating advertising or doing presentations.
You CAN set your own hours – it’s your business, you make the rules. I’m extremely flexible in my work day since I mostly work via email.
How to market to people – ask them what their biggest problem is – if you can fill that need, tell them how. Find a problem and be the solution.
VAing is a terrific home-based business!
I am very interested in VA please tell me more how to start up.
What part of the service interests you and where are you based?
Hi:
Angie:
You can do some research on the Internet and learn about “us.” You can pick up an inexpensive guide at http://www.vaebook.com This will help you decide if being a VA would be good for you.
John:
I’m not sure I understand your question. I help clients set up their businesses online and manage them. Everything from Domain registration at http://www.prositesetup.com to hosting, creating web sites, shopping carts. I invite you to visit my web site at http://www.yourvirtualresource.com
Enjoy!