Table of Contents
Preface xi
This Book Offers a Plethora of Advice from Experts xiii
Facts You Need to Know Upfront xiv
Chapter 1 Becoming a Virtual Assistant 1
Choose a Pricing Model for Your Work 2
VAs Typically Work from a Home Office 2
Running a VA Business Makes You the Boss 3
The Differences Between a Sole Proprietorship and Limited Liability Company 4
VAs Always Need to Multitask 6
VAs Typically Get to Choose Their Own Clients 7
Additional Startup Considerations 7
Choose Your Niche 8
Compose Your Company's Mission Statement 8
Your Home Office Is Your Primary Work Space 9
Creating Your Brand 10
Your Time Matters 10
Develop an Understanding of Each Client's Needs 11
Compose a Business Plan 12
Get Ready to Take Control! 16
Chapter 2 Potential Responsibilities of a Virtual Assistant 17
Why Business Leaders and Companies Should Hire Virtual Assistants 18
Define Your Niche as a VA 19
Start Compiling Your Services Menu 24
General Administrative Tasks 24
Specialized Tasks 25
Your Services Menu 26
Your About Us Page 26
Should You Start Your Own VA Business or Work with an Agency? 27
Meet Lauren Gall, Cofounder of VaVa Virtual Assistants 28
Meet Cindy Opong, Founder of Creative Assistants 32
Meet Latrice Prater, Founder of The Digital Solutions Team 35
Establish a Strong Foundation for Your Virtual Assistant Business 38
Chapter 3 Branding Your Virtual Assistant Business 39
Elements of a Company's Brand 40
The Company Name 40
A Mission Statement and Slogan 41
Your Company's Logo 42
Choose Your Domain Name 45
Focus on Website Design 46
Use Branded Social Media Content 50
Use Personalized Email Accounts 51
Don't Forget Letterhead and Business Cards 53
Your Business Phone Number 54
It's Time to Set Up Your Work Space 55
Chapter 4 The Equipment You'll Need 57
Establish Your Home Office and Set Up Your Work Space 58
Selecting Your Work Space 58
Choose the Right Office Furniture 60
Gather the Equipment You'll Need 61
The Software Tools You'll Likely Need 62
Take Advantage of Apps Designed Specifically for Virtual Assistants 63
The Next Steps in Launching Your Own Virtual Assistant Business 68
Chapter 5 Setting Your Pricing 71
First Calculate Your Initial Investment and Cost of Doing Business 73
Making an Initial Investment in Your Business 74
Ongoing Fixed and Variable Business Expenses 74
Financial Management 77
Tax Matters 79
How Will You Get Paid? 79
What's in the Financial Forecast? 81
Common Pricing Options Used by Virtual Assistants 82
Get Paid by the Hour 82
Offer Prepaid Packages 82
Charge a Retainer and Then a Discounted Hourly Rate 84
Charge a Pre-Negotiated Flat Fee for Each Project 84
More Strategies for Setting Your Rates 84
You Won't Land Any Clients Without Marketing, Advertising, and Promoting Your Business 88
Chapter 6 Marketing Your Business to Find Clients 89
A Social Media Presence Is a Must 91
Email and/or Direct-Mail Marketing 95
Paid Advertising 97
Tap the Power of the Media with a PR Campaign 99
"Experts Say …" 101
In-Person and Online Networking 102
Volunteer for Causes and Organizations You Care About 103
Word-of-Mouth Promotion and Referrals 104
Join Professional Associations 104
Advice from Melissa Smith, Founder and CEO of the Association of Virtual Assistants 105
Work for an Agency 109
Find VA Listings on Job Websites 110
You've Found a New Client-Now What? 111
Chapter 7 Landing and Managing Your Clients 113
Do Your Research 114
The Client Interview Process 114
The Onboarding Process 116
Set Your Boundaries 116
Spell It All Out in the Contract 117
Sample Employment Contracts Between VAs and Clients 119
Develop and Showcase Your Client Relations Skills 119
Advice from Business Leaders Who Rely on VAs for Their Success 120
Meet John Gotschall, CEO of Coaching Financial Concepts 120
Meet Brad Farris, CEO of Anchor Advisors 122
Meet Meredith Noble, Cofounder and CEO of Seneca Works LLC 124
Learn How to Manage Your Time 126
Chapter 8 Managing Your Time and Work-Related Tools 151
Time Management Basics 152
Don't Overextend Yourself 154
Prioritize Your Clients Fairly 154
Sometimes You May Want or Need to Turn Down Work 154
20 Additional Tips for Mastering Time Management 156
Common Collaboration and Productivity Tools That'll Help You Save Time 160
Always Use the Right Tool for the Job 160
Focus on Security Today and Save a Lot of Time Moving Forward 161
Password Security and Management Are a Must 161
Add Security and Privacy Extensions to Your Web Browser 162
Take Advantage of a Virtual Private Network for Added Security 163
Turn On the Password and Security Features in the Applications You Use 163
Seek Out a Mentor 164
Chapter 9 Experienced VAs Share Their Thoughts and Advice 165
David Hogan, Throne Consulting 166
Diana Ennen, Virtual Word Publishing 170
Erin Dahlquist, Latchkey Marketing 173
Felly Day, Felly Day VA 176
Vickie Hadge, Virtually Done by Vickie 179
Final Thoughts 181
Glossary 183
About the Author 191
Index 193