1What is a Virtual Assistant

A virtual assistant is an independent administrative assistant who offers services to clients online. A virtual assistant may perform some or all of the following services for a fee:

• Data entry
• General correspondence
• Desk top publishing
• Travel arrangements and logistics
• Internet research
• Bookkeeping
• Website design and maintenance
• Real estate support
• Power Point presentation
• Transcription and translation services

All of these virtual assistant jobs are done in the VA's office, usually in the convenience of home. After developing a client list and learning how to promote your services, it is conceivable that you could make from $35-70 per hour.

2What do You Need to Become a Virtual Assistant

A virtual assistant will most likely need to have, and know how to use, the following equipment:

• A recent IBM compatible desktop with excellent memory
• Microsoft Word
• PowerPoint
• Office management program (such as MS Office)
• A fax machine
• Printer
• Ability to upload diverse files and photos
• Certain niches may require also require additional hardware or software

What are even more important are the personal traits of the VA. He or she must be:

• Flexible
• Honest
• Committed to excellence
• Willing to learn
• A good researcher
• A clear communicator (verbal and written)
• Able to meet deadlines

The VA needs to be able to work under pressure, take criticism and creatively promote their own services.

3Building a Business- Finding Your Niche

Most virtual assistants start off doing a little bit of everything, but settle into a niche they’re comfortable with after gaining some experience. For example, specializations could include:

• Translating text into another language
• Researching legal documents
• Ghostwriting web content
• Preparing feature articles for trade journals
• Editing
• Proofreading
• Preparing manuscripts for publication

Some virtual assistants function as generalists and “do it all”.

4Marketing Your Services

The biggest challenge for the virtual assistant is creating a client base. How creatively the VA approaches this challenge will determine their success, unless they have contracted with one client and serve that client exclusively. Most VAs use a variety of methods to drum up business. Among these are:

• Creating a website featuring their services.
• Registering with freelance agencies such as Odesk, Guru, and Elance, and bidding on and competing for potential outsourced jobs.
• Starting a blog in the niche they are seeking to contract in.
• Writing and selling or giving away e-books.
• Joining social networks such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and MySpace
• Advertising on sites like Craigslist and Backpage.

Very seldom do virtual assistants advertise their services through traditional means; they tend to use the web to their advantage.
For more information on promoting your services as a virtual assistant, visit the Virtual Assistant Chamber of Commerce website.

5Resources

Becoming a virtual assistant has its pros and cons. Some of the benefits include:

• Flexible hours
• Carving out and promoting your own niche business
• Able to be highly creative
• Potential for a very good income
• Independent ownership
• Ability to accept or reject projects
• Being part of a growing global network of professionals
• Low start up costs
• Limited only by your imagination and determination to succeed