| Thanks to the Internet there’s a new way | | | | 401K, vacations, etc. Finally, office space and |
| to make money with your computer. | | | | equipment are provided atthe expense of the |
| You might be surprised at all the different | | | | virtual assistant, which again saves the client |
| services you could offer withthis new home | | | | money. |
| business. Most people have become familiar with | | | | Do You Have What It Takes To Become A |
| wordprocessors, which usually consists of typing | | | | Successful VA? |
| manuscripts, letters,transcription and writing | | | | Here are some questions to ask yourself when |
| resumes, but the new virtual assistant is likeword | | | | you think about starting yourown virtual assistant |
| processing on steroids. | | | | business: |
| Diana Ennen, has been a home-based word | | | | · Do you have excellent typing and proofing |
| processor now for about 15 years. | | | | skills? |
| She started to educate herself about all the | | | | · Do you enjoy helping people? |
| possibilities a person haswhenstarting a virtual | | | | · Are you familiar with the Internet and enjoy |
| assistant business. Diana Ennen along with Kelly | | | | learning new things aboutit? |
| Poelker,a certified Master Virtual Assistant, just | | | | · Do you already know several people who could |
| finished writing an ebookcalled, | | | | utilize your services? |
| A Bizy’s Guide: How To Start Your | | | | · Are you capable of making a great income and |
| Own Home-Based Virtual Assistant’s | | | | will stop at nothing tomakeit happen? |
| Business. | | | | SKILLS NEEDED |
| So What Exactly Is A Virtual Assistant? | | | | Diana and Kelly explain, Every virtual assistant |
| Diana Ennen explains, A virtual assistant, or | | | | has their own uniqueskills and experience that |
| VA, is a highly skilledprofessional who provides | | | | enables them to start their business. The rightskills |
| administrative support and other | | | | are those that you have perfected and can |
| specializedservices to businesses, entrepreneurs, | | | | perform well. As youfurther develop your skills, |
| executives, and others who havemore work to | | | | you can expand your service offering. |
| do than time to do it. | | | | Skills range from the basics such as typing to |
| Many VAs work as independent contractors from | | | | highly specialized areaslikeweb design, graphic arts, |
| their own home. VAs useleading edge technology | | | | technical writing, and more. A professional VAwill |
| to communicate work assignments via the | | | | be proficient in the Internet, computers, software, |
| Internet,e-mail, disk transfer or such traditional | | | | word processingandspreadsheet applications, etc. |
| methods as regular mail,overnightshipping and | | | | In addition to the technical skills, aprofessional VA |
| even pick-up and delivery in local areas. A VAs | | | | will have good business management skills as well |
| servicestypically include word processing, medical | | | | asknowledge of marketing, advertising, and public |
| or legal transcription, databasemanagement, | | | | relations. Businessmanagement skills not only help |
| Internet research, e-mail handling, reminder | | | | you in operating your own business, butallows you |
| service, bulkmailings, information processing, and | | | | to aid your clients in running theirs. |
| any other tasks typically given totheoffice | | | | VAs must be motivated. You can’t get |
| secretary. Many VAs also provide web | | | | discouraged when you experience minorset-backs. |
| development, design andmaintenance, desktop | | | | Start fresh each day. If the phone didn't ring |
| publishing, meeting and event planning, | | | | yesterday, makeit ring today. Failure is not an |
| bookkeeping,and business start-up consultations. | | | | option. You need to know that you're goingto |
| The services are endless dependingupon your | | | | make it and will stop at nothing short. |
| knowledge and skills. | | | | How Much Can You Make? |
| Tisha Silvers explains her virtual assistant business | | | | Our research shows most pricing is centered |
| as, One who assistsanother from literally | | | | around a base price of $25 perhour. However, the |
| anywhere in the world. I don't limit it to | | | | rate does depend on the services you provide |
| justbusiness support functions. And I consider the | | | | and alsohow long you’ve been in business. |
| person a few miles down thestreet to be just as | | | | Another consideration is the area inwhich you live. |
| virtual if you don't meet regularly or at all. I | | | | In some areas you will receive more than in |
| haveafew of those kinds of clients myself. | | | | others. Forexample, in south Florida you can |
| How Can You Market This Business? | | | | charge a better rate in Miami, than say asmaller |
| Showing clients how much you can help them as | | | | town like Pompano Beach. |
| their VA isn’t as hard as youthink. Julie | | | | There are different ways in which you can charge |
| McMann explains, Using a virtual assistant | | | | for services. By the hour,by the project, by the |
| allows clients tooutsource any projects that can | | | | page, or for something like event planning you |
| be done from a remote location. It allowsthem to | | | | couldcharge a certain percentage of the total |
| accomplish more with less time. Since time is so | | | | event cost. Many VAs offer reducedrates for a |
| precious tobusiness owners, anything that frees | | | | monthly retainer option. With a monthly retainer |
| up time and keeps the business movingahead is | | | | your clientcommits to a certain number of hours |
| extremely valuable. It's also convenient to be able | | | | per month at a predetermined rate. Ifyou work |
| to hire andutilize a virtual assistant whenever you | | | | less than the committed number of hours you |
| need them. One month you may havemore | | | | are still paid thesame. If you work over the |
| projects than another. It's much less expensive | | | | committed number of hours then you would |
| than hiring afull-timeemployee who doesn't get | | | | billtheclient for the additional hours at that same |
| used to their full potential. Clients alsobenefitby not | | | | rate or whatever is agreedupon, says Diana |
| having to worry about providing employee | | | | and Kelly. |
| benefits such as insurance, | | | | |