Virtual assistants come from a variety of industries and backgrounds, offering various services and expertise. This tutorial is part of the remote job series. And in this series we show you how to move from an "in-person" role to a remote job that gives you the time and flexibility to start a profitable full or part time business from home.
The virtual assistant role is one that allows you to truly work from home in your own business, working for clients, who pay you for agreed upon deliverables.
If I had to provide a definition, I would say that virtual assistants (also called VAs) are highly skilled professionals who use remote technology to perform administrative, creative and technical services on a contract basis from a home office.
They work alone or as part of a team to help small business owners and independent professionals grow their business.
Becoming a virtual assistant is an accessible and flexible career path that offers excellent opportunities for growth. By starting with clear goals, honing marketable skills, and networking strategically, you can build a thriving VA business in an industry that’s only expected to expand in the coming years.
What Do Virtual Assistants Do?
They support busy professionals by performing important, but nonetheless non core business tasks. Virtual assistants are not located physically in the same office, but technology allows him or her to perform basically any function that doesn't allow a physical presence, as if they were sitting in the same room.
The arrangement allows small business managers and solopreneurs to work with professionals that have strong administrative, creative and technical skills on an hourly, product, retainer or on an as needed basis.
This article will show you what a virtual assistant is and give you some ideas on how to get started working from home as a VA.
Being a virtual assistant requires skills that will enable you to help your clients reach their sales and marketing goals.
Virtual assistants do everything from scheduling appointments to conducting research. Some virtual assistant roles are niche specific, meaning the virtual assistant has a strong background in the industry which helps him or her create products and offer services that help with certain issues like completing paperwork, knowing specific industry regulations, etc.
Others focus solely on administrative tasks like maintaining calendars and schedules and invoicing clients while others require experience in copywriting and social media management.
Some of the Tasks a Virtual Assistant Might Perform for Clients:
- Turn unorganized information (notes, interviews, lists, photos, diagrams, etc.) into clear and concise documents.
- Draft and edit customer correspondence in paper and email format
- Create and update event programs and presentations
- Design and update brochures, sell sheets,
- Event management
- Email marketing
- Conduct keyword and article research
- Create and manage calendars and schedules
- Create web banner and advertising images
- Moderate social media sites, update and manage profiles and schedule updates
- Respond to customer comments and email inquiries
- Optimize photos and images on your site for SEO
- Create and maintain document templates
- Update manuals, training materials and forms
- Create charts, graphs, reports and tables
- More...
Do you routinely handle tasks like this on an "in person" job? If so would you like doing these tasks from the comfort of home? If so, read on and let us help you with an ATS formatted resume that's targeted to a virtual assistant role.
How to Get Started as a VA
If you’ve worked (or you're currently working) as a secretary, administrative assistant, writer, bookkeeper, social media associate, chat assistant or other office professional, you more than likely have the skills needed to get started as a virtual assistant.
To start, assess your skills, and compare what you've doing now to a typical virtual assistant job description. You can find a virtual assistant job opening by performing a Google search for the "virtual assistant".
Once you've determined that you are doing all or most of the tasks required on a virtual assistant job description, start a blog or website that allows you to set up services that you can offer to your own customers.
To reduce any conflicts with your current employer start your virtual assistant business in a niche that is separate from your employer's niche so that you're not working with any of your employer's clients.
And to avoid any conflicts at all, it would be a good idea to consult with an attorney to make sure that what you're doing won't provide any openings for your employer to frown on your new business.
That way you can have a clear understanding of how you can work with other businesses who have similar needs, earning on a full or part time basis.
Just imagine the benefits you'd receive from losing the commute to and from work each day.
4 Reasons a Remote Job Should Be Part of Your Income Boosting Strategy
Here are four reasons a remote opportunity can give you more time to devote to your business aspirations:
1. Flexible Scheduling to Balance Priorities
Remote work opportunities can often provide more control over your schedule compared to traditional in-office jobs. Many remote roles have flexible hours, allowing you to allocate specific time blocks for your online business while meeting your work responsibilities.
Example: Work your remote job schedule and use the time you would spend on commuting (which can add up to hours each week) to client projects and business growth tasks, such as marketing or product development.
2. Potential for Overlapping Skills
Remote jobs often require skills like time management, digital communication, and technical proficiency—all of which are essential for running an online business. You can leverage these transferable skills to accelerate your entrepreneurial journey.
Example: Experience with project management tools in your remote job can help you streamline operations in your online business.
3. Steady Income to Reduce Financial Risk
A remote job provides a consistent income stream while you build your business, helping you cover living expenses, invest in tools or marketing, and reduce financial stress. This safety net allows you to take calculated risks in your business without compromising financial stability.
Example: Use a portion of your remote job earnings to fund paid advertising or hire freelance help for your business.
4. Opportunity to Test and Validate Business Ideas
Working from home enables you to test and refine your business idea while maintaining your current job. The proximity to your workspace means you can experiment with marketing strategies, tweak your products or services, and measure results in real-time.
Example: Launch a small-scale product or service during weekends and use insights to scale when your business is ready.
A Bird's Eye View of Virtual Assistant's Responsibilities
Virtual assistants provide support by managing time-consuming tasks, allowing business owners to focus on their core responsibilities.
Common services include:
- Administrative Support: Managing calendars, scheduling appointments, answering emails, and data entry.
- Social Media Management: Creating posts, scheduling content, engaging with followers, and analyzing performance metrics.
- Customer Service: Responding to customer inquiries via email or chat, processing orders, and resolving issues.
- Content Creation: Writing blog posts, editing, graphic design, and preparing presentations.
- eCommerce Assistance: Listing products, managing inventory, and processing online orders.
- Bookkeeping: Tracking expenses, preparing invoices, and reconciling accounts.
By taking on these tasks, VAs save business owners time and money while ensuring smoother operations.
How Much Do VAs Make?
Entry-level VAs typically earn $15–$25 per hour, while experienced VAs specializing in niche skills can charge $40–$60 per hour or more.
Monthly Income: Varies widely, ranging from $1,500–$5,000 depending on hours worked and services offered.
Billing Practices:
- Hourly: Clients are billed based on time worked, often tracked using tools like Toggl or Hubstaff.
- Project-Based: A flat fee is charged for a specific task or deliverable (e.g., $500 for a social media campaign).
- Retainer: Clients pay a set amount upfront for a guaranteed number of hours or services per month, providing steady income for the VA.
Most virtual assistants work directly with several clients at a time. And according to Value Walk, “companies that hire virtual assistants benefit from lower costs because they are not required to provide any benefits, equipment, paid training, or bonuses.
The Benefits Companies Receive From Using a Virtual Assistant
If you're considering hiring a virtual assistant, here are the benefits you'll receive by setting up this business model for your company.
If you're thinking of becoming a virtual assistant, here are the benefits you can list on website and marketing materials to let potential customers know what your business can do to help them:
- Increased Productivity - Using a virtual assistant for business and marketing support tasks frees up your time to focus on your primary business and revenue generating activities.
- Fewer Expenses - There are no benefits, payroll or equipment expenses to pay for; you only pay for time spent performing actual tasks.
- Scale Up or Down as Needed - Add team members as needed to meet your goals. We can work full or part time and on a per project basis as needed.
Industry Information
The global virtual assistant market is projected to grow at a 15–20% annual rate, according to industry forecasts.
Companies in the virtual assistant industry are
- Belay Solutions
- Equivity
- Gabbyville
- Perssist
- Trusty Oak
- Zirtual
- Time Etc.
- Smith AI.
- Boldly
- Fancy Hands
The demand for virtual assistants is expected to grow significantly, driven by:
- The rise in remote work and digital-first businesses.
- The increasing number of small businesses and entrepreneurs outsourcing tasks to save on costs.
- Advancements in cloud-based tools that make remote collaboration easier.
This growth will open more opportunities for skilled VAs, particularly those specializing in high-demand services like social media management, eCommerce, and digital marketing.
Qualifications
Here are a few Must Have Skills for Virtual Assistants
- Word processing, spreadsheet and presentation skills and experience
- Strong written and oral communication skills
- Computer Skills
- Dependability
- Professionalism
- Self Motivation and Discipline
- Quick Thinking and Effective Decision Making
- A Love for Continuous Learning and Personal Development
Equipment and Gear for VAs
You’ll need the following equipment and gear to set up your virtual assistant home office:
A computer with high-speed internet
Personal phone line
Knowledge of social media marketing
Google Suite: Gmail, Calendar, Chrome, Drive, Plus, Hangouts, Voice
Social media management skills
Knowledge of Microsoft Suite: Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook
How to Market Your Virtual Assistant Business
Here are seven ways to market your virtual assistant business that really work.
- Create a Professional Website and/or Blog That Showcases How You Help Business Owners
- Make potential client connections on LinkedIn
- Set Up Professional Social Media Accounts
- Start an Email List
- Join Professional Associations
- Participate in Mastermind Groups
- Reach Out to Local Businesses That Match Your Niche
Start a WordPress Blog
Create a sales and marketing system that works 24/7 to convert visitors into engaged customers.
With a virtual assistant, you can accomplish the goals set for your primary business. You’ll notice a difference, when you can relax and concentrate on the things that you went in business to do, and let us concentrate on the rest!
