Virtual Assistant Extraordinaire, Lisa Taliga,
has given me permission to reprint an article
of her's here for your info and enjoyment...
Freelance As A Virtual Assistant!
Are You Worried About Your Competition? Don’t Be!
by Lisa Taliga
I remember sitting at my 9 to 5 job, with the
seeds of my own Virtual Assistant business
germinating in my mind.
I took out the Yellow Pages for my home town
and had a look to see what other similar businesses
were already operating in my area.
At that time there wasn’t a listing for
Virtual Assistants, so I looked under
‘Secretarial Services’. To my dismay I saw
pages and pages of them!
My first thought was, there’s no point in me
setting up my own Virtual Assistant business,
with all this competition! How am I going to get
any business, let alone stand out from the crowd?
I am so glad that I didn’t let this stop me.
I discovered that there is more than enough work
and clients to go around.
Clients are found everywhere
It would have been a big mistake to be
discouraged to go into business for myself based
on the amount of ‘competition’ in the local Yellow
Pages. Why?
Because my clients come from everywhere.
From networking at local business events and
associations, networking online, word of mouth
referrals, through friends – the list is endless.
Think about it, if someone meets you face to face
at a networking event and is convinced of the
benefits of working with YOU, are they going to
think of looking in the Yellow Pages for someone
they don’t even know? Remember that the client/
Virtual Assistant relationship is based on trust.
Clients Previously Unaware of Virtual Assistance
I was surprised to find that NONE of my clients had
ever worked with a Virtual Assistant before. After
I educated them on the benefits of working with me,
they were keen to try out my services.
Imagine all the potential clients you will be able
to attract, who have never even heard of a VA before!
Believe me, there is more work and clients to go around
than you can imagine.
The Virtual Assistance industry is in its infancy.
There are still many, many people who have never heard
of the whole concept before! We have only just begun to
scratch the surface of the potential of this career.
For each client I serve or have served, I believe that
there are numerous others that I could also be working
with. However, there are only so many hours in the day!
Competition Means That the Business Is Viable
Look at ‘competition’ as a positive thing. Whenever
people consider business opportunities they should
always look for and hope to find competition.
Because existing competition shows that the business
model is profitable and viable, otherwise others
wouldn’t be putting their valuable time, energy and
money into it. So, your existing VA ‘competitors’ are
showing you that there IS business and demand out there.
Each VA is Different
Because Virtual Assistance covers such a huge range of
possible services, each VA will have their own unique
service offering, experience, skills and background.
Don’t be afraid that you’ll fade into the background
amongst other VAs. Make an effort to value your
uniqueness and showcase it. Make your website and
other promotional materials reflect your personality.
You will definitely stand out from the crowd then.
Competitors Can Become Your Allies
I work with my so-called competitors all the time.
If I have overload, I refer work or outsource it to others.
And if clients approach me who don’t belong to my
particular target market, I have VA friends who would
view them as ideal clients.
Think of your fellow VAs as one big team, ready and
able to help each other out. What if you have a client
approach you asking you to do something you’ve never
done before?
If you’ve struck up a relationship with other VAs,
they’ll be only too pleased to help you out. I’ve never
encountered an industry that is so generous with
their help, knowledge and time.
So, rather than focus on your perceived level of
competition, focus on moving full steam ahead with
your Virtual Assistant business.
And when you find you don’t have enough hours
in the day to help all the clients you’re attracting,
you’ll look back and laugh at any worries you had
– just like I do!
Lisa Taliga is a Virtual Assistant and author of
'Freelance from Home! The 5 Key Steps to Your
Successful Virtual Assistant Business' and
‘The 7 Things You Must Know Before Starting
Your Successful Virtual Assistant Business’.
Get your free eBook and newsletter subscription to
find out how to become a Virtual Assistant.
Freelance As A Virtual Assistant!
Monday, November 24, 2008
Sunday, November 16, 2008
5 Tips To Starting Your Virtual Assistant Home Based Business
Here's an article by Lisa Taliga, Virtual Assistant,
reprinted here with her permission.
How to Start Your Virtual Assistant Business
and Not Feel Overwhelmed - 5 Simple Tips
by Lisa Taliga
You've decided to start your own Virtual
Assistant business. You've got to think of a
business name, register it, organise a PO Box,
get some new equipment ....aaaargh!
Where do you start? Is your mind going round
and round in circles? Are you feeling overwhelmed?
I totally identify with that feeling. I remember
all too well when I was starting out that my head
was stuffed full of things to do, organise and manage.
It's easy to let it all overwhelm you and cause you
to take no action! I was also working full-time so
it was crucial for me to stay focused on my ultimate
goal of staying at home and earning an income.
Here are 5 easy tips to combat being overwhelmed,
which can be applied to any business:
1. Draw up a list
Make a list of the major to-do areas that apply to
your situation e.g. creating and registering a business
name, getting equipment, thinking about what
services to provide, what to charge and so on.
Carry a notepad around with you so that you can
make a note of ideas as they come. That way you
don't feel as if your brain is about to burst with
all the things you have to do.
2. Break major tasks into smaller ones
The next step is to break these larger tasks into
very small bite-sized chunks that you can easily
get your head around. If you know it's only going to
take you an hour rather than 20 hours, then you're
much more likely to tackle the task.
3. Plan ahead
At the end of each week, plan what tasks you're
going to complete the following week. Then each
evening, plan the following day. Make a note of
just 3 - 4 things that have to be completed that day.
4. Set goals
Set short, medium and long term goals. An example
of a short term goal could be to register your
business name within 2 weeks. A medium term
goal could be to get your first retainer client
within 3 months.
My long term goal was to work full-time from home
within a year. This kept me focused and working
towards something tangible. Every morning I
imagined what it would be like to work from home
and not have to commute! Because, let me tell you,
that long train ride was beginning to wear thin.
5. Curb that perfectionism
Another reason for feeling overwhelmed is thinking
you have to get everything just right straight away.
Believe me, you'll make mistakes - this is all part
of the process. The main thing is just to get started
and adjust things along the way.
Applying these skills really helped me to stay focused
and achieve my goal of making money from home.
If I had allowed myself to stay overwhelmed,
I'd probably not have got very far with my business.
So, make use of these 5 tips, get on track with your
Virtual Assistant business and stop that daily commute!
Lisa Taliga is a Virtual Assistant and author of
'Freelance from Home! The 5 Key Steps to Your
Successful Virtual Assistant Business' and
‘The 7 Things You Must Know Before Starting
Your Successful Virtual Assistant Business’.
Get your free eBook and newsletter subscription
to find out how to become a Virtual Assistant.
Become A Virtual Assistant And Make Money From Home!
reprinted here with her permission.
How to Start Your Virtual Assistant Business
and Not Feel Overwhelmed - 5 Simple Tips
by Lisa Taliga
You've decided to start your own Virtual
Assistant business. You've got to think of a
business name, register it, organise a PO Box,
get some new equipment ....aaaargh!
Where do you start? Is your mind going round
and round in circles? Are you feeling overwhelmed?
I totally identify with that feeling. I remember
all too well when I was starting out that my head
was stuffed full of things to do, organise and manage.
It's easy to let it all overwhelm you and cause you
to take no action! I was also working full-time so
it was crucial for me to stay focused on my ultimate
goal of staying at home and earning an income.
Here are 5 easy tips to combat being overwhelmed,
which can be applied to any business:
1. Draw up a list
Make a list of the major to-do areas that apply to
your situation e.g. creating and registering a business
name, getting equipment, thinking about what
services to provide, what to charge and so on.
Carry a notepad around with you so that you can
make a note of ideas as they come. That way you
don't feel as if your brain is about to burst with
all the things you have to do.
2. Break major tasks into smaller ones
The next step is to break these larger tasks into
very small bite-sized chunks that you can easily
get your head around. If you know it's only going to
take you an hour rather than 20 hours, then you're
much more likely to tackle the task.
3. Plan ahead
At the end of each week, plan what tasks you're
going to complete the following week. Then each
evening, plan the following day. Make a note of
just 3 - 4 things that have to be completed that day.
4. Set goals
Set short, medium and long term goals. An example
of a short term goal could be to register your
business name within 2 weeks. A medium term
goal could be to get your first retainer client
within 3 months.
My long term goal was to work full-time from home
within a year. This kept me focused and working
towards something tangible. Every morning I
imagined what it would be like to work from home
and not have to commute! Because, let me tell you,
that long train ride was beginning to wear thin.
5. Curb that perfectionism
Another reason for feeling overwhelmed is thinking
you have to get everything just right straight away.
Believe me, you'll make mistakes - this is all part
of the process. The main thing is just to get started
and adjust things along the way.
Applying these skills really helped me to stay focused
and achieve my goal of making money from home.
If I had allowed myself to stay overwhelmed,
I'd probably not have got very far with my business.
So, make use of these 5 tips, get on track with your
Virtual Assistant business and stop that daily commute!
Lisa Taliga is a Virtual Assistant and author of
'Freelance from Home! The 5 Key Steps to Your
Successful Virtual Assistant Business' and
‘The 7 Things You Must Know Before Starting
Your Successful Virtual Assistant Business’.
Get your free eBook and newsletter subscription
to find out how to become a Virtual Assistant.
Become A Virtual Assistant And Make Money From Home!
Saturday, November 15, 2008
How To Go From Your Full-Time Job To Your Home Based Business As A Virtual Assistant
Your dream may be to run your own home based
business. Right now you're working full-time and
want to know how to ease into being your own
boss with the least amount of stress.
Lisa Taliga can help you with all of that. Below is
an article reprinted here with her permission. Enjoy...
From Full-Time to Own Time -
4 Tips to Start Your Virtual Assistant Business
Whilst Working Full-Time
by Lisa Taliga
Are you working full-time, want to start your
Virtual Assistant business but just don’t seem
to find enough hours in the day to focus on it?
This may also apply to you if you are working
part-time or have a growing family. A good
chunk of your day may be swallowed up by the
daily commute, the demands of your boss,
cooking dinner, looking after the kids, keeping
the house clean…
By the time you’ve finished all that, how are you
going to get focused? How are you going to find the
time to start or build your business?
If you don’t have a solid strategy or plan to get to
where you want to be, then somehow your days will
drag into weeks, then months and you’ll still be no
nearer your goal of working from home.
It’s so easy to let the daily ‘noise’ of life distract us
from our ultimate goals. Nodding your head vigorously?
Then read on for the following four tips to cut through
the jungle and realize your dream:
1. Be Disciplined
Discipline is not just about doing things to start your
business. It’s also about ensuring your day isn’t spent
doing everything else!
It means saying ‘no’ every once in a while to those tasks
that are not going to bring you closer to your goal.
Just think, if you spent two hours less a week on
housework or got home one hour earlier a couple of
days a week – that’s an extra eight hours a month
you’d have to work on your project.
2. Be Realistic
If you're still working your day job, schedule that from
the time you get up in the morning until you get home
from work. Don't forget to include time for commuting.
Then, plan out your evening accordingly. Don't schedule
a four hour task to be completed in one hour. It won't
happen. Break tasks up as much as possible into small
steps and schedule them into your time. This will give
you a feeling of accomplishment and you'll get a lot more
done in the long run.
3. Be Specific
Your daily plans and goals need to be very specific.
I really want to emphasise again how important it
is to break everything down into steps.
It won't do you any good to write something like'
‘work on marketing’. What does that mean? How
exactly do you ‘work on marketing?’
Your plan needs to include a definite task and
finishing point, such as ‘write an ad for the local
newspaper’.
Do you see the difference? You can ‘work on’ a project
for weeks and never reach a point where you feel
you’ve achieved something. By contrast, when you
‘write an ad’ you know you're finished as soon as
you've typed the final word.
4. Be Flexible
You should also be a little flexible in your scheduling.
You’re going to have interruptions that you couldn't
possibly have planned for. When working from home,
the chance of distraction goes up exponentially.
You'll be working on your project, only to have the toilet
overflow or the kids play up. There will be things that
happen that you can't plan for. That's why your schedule
needs to include a little cushion.
Sometimes, no matter how well you plan, you just won't
finish what you schedule. It happens to everyone.
That's when you simply revise your schedule for the
next day to include the tasks you didn’t get done.
Don't stress about an item or two not getting done as
planned. Just take it in stride and keep on moving forward.
If you find yourself routinely missing your deadlines,
you'll need to reevaluate your scheduling. Are you being
realistic in your planning? Probably not. Adjust accordingly.
If you keep these four tips in mind when tackling your
Virtual Assistant business projects you’ll stay sane and get
much more done.
With a little discipline, planning and effort, you can schedule
your dreams into your ‘full-time life’ much more effectively
and ultimately earn a full-time income from home.
Lisa Taliga is a Virtual Assistant and author of
'Freelance from Home! The 5 Key Steps to Your Successful
Virtual Assistant Business' and ‘The 7 Things You Must Know
Before Starting Your Successful Virtual Assistant Business’.
Get your free eBook and newsletter subscription to find out
How To Become a Virtual Assistant.
How To Start Your Home Based Business As A Virtual Assistant!
business. Right now you're working full-time and
want to know how to ease into being your own
boss with the least amount of stress.
Lisa Taliga can help you with all of that. Below is
an article reprinted here with her permission. Enjoy...
From Full-Time to Own Time -
4 Tips to Start Your Virtual Assistant Business
Whilst Working Full-Time
by Lisa Taliga
Are you working full-time, want to start your
Virtual Assistant business but just don’t seem
to find enough hours in the day to focus on it?
This may also apply to you if you are working
part-time or have a growing family. A good
chunk of your day may be swallowed up by the
daily commute, the demands of your boss,
cooking dinner, looking after the kids, keeping
the house clean…
By the time you’ve finished all that, how are you
going to get focused? How are you going to find the
time to start or build your business?
If you don’t have a solid strategy or plan to get to
where you want to be, then somehow your days will
drag into weeks, then months and you’ll still be no
nearer your goal of working from home.
It’s so easy to let the daily ‘noise’ of life distract us
from our ultimate goals. Nodding your head vigorously?
Then read on for the following four tips to cut through
the jungle and realize your dream:
1. Be Disciplined
Discipline is not just about doing things to start your
business. It’s also about ensuring your day isn’t spent
doing everything else!
It means saying ‘no’ every once in a while to those tasks
that are not going to bring you closer to your goal.
Just think, if you spent two hours less a week on
housework or got home one hour earlier a couple of
days a week – that’s an extra eight hours a month
you’d have to work on your project.
2. Be Realistic
If you're still working your day job, schedule that from
the time you get up in the morning until you get home
from work. Don't forget to include time for commuting.
Then, plan out your evening accordingly. Don't schedule
a four hour task to be completed in one hour. It won't
happen. Break tasks up as much as possible into small
steps and schedule them into your time. This will give
you a feeling of accomplishment and you'll get a lot more
done in the long run.
3. Be Specific
Your daily plans and goals need to be very specific.
I really want to emphasise again how important it
is to break everything down into steps.
It won't do you any good to write something like'
‘work on marketing’. What does that mean? How
exactly do you ‘work on marketing?’
Your plan needs to include a definite task and
finishing point, such as ‘write an ad for the local
newspaper’.
Do you see the difference? You can ‘work on’ a project
for weeks and never reach a point where you feel
you’ve achieved something. By contrast, when you
‘write an ad’ you know you're finished as soon as
you've typed the final word.
4. Be Flexible
You should also be a little flexible in your scheduling.
You’re going to have interruptions that you couldn't
possibly have planned for. When working from home,
the chance of distraction goes up exponentially.
You'll be working on your project, only to have the toilet
overflow or the kids play up. There will be things that
happen that you can't plan for. That's why your schedule
needs to include a little cushion.
Sometimes, no matter how well you plan, you just won't
finish what you schedule. It happens to everyone.
That's when you simply revise your schedule for the
next day to include the tasks you didn’t get done.
Don't stress about an item or two not getting done as
planned. Just take it in stride and keep on moving forward.
If you find yourself routinely missing your deadlines,
you'll need to reevaluate your scheduling. Are you being
realistic in your planning? Probably not. Adjust accordingly.
If you keep these four tips in mind when tackling your
Virtual Assistant business projects you’ll stay sane and get
much more done.
With a little discipline, planning and effort, you can schedule
your dreams into your ‘full-time life’ much more effectively
and ultimately earn a full-time income from home.
Lisa Taliga is a Virtual Assistant and author of
'Freelance from Home! The 5 Key Steps to Your Successful
Virtual Assistant Business' and ‘The 7 Things You Must Know
Before Starting Your Successful Virtual Assistant Business’.
Get your free eBook and newsletter subscription to find out
How To Become a Virtual Assistant.
How To Start Your Home Based Business As A Virtual Assistant!
Friday, November 14, 2008
5 Steps To Becoming A Virtual Assistant And Be Your Own Boss
Enjoy another article reprinted here with
Lisa Taliga's permission...
How to Become a Virtual Assistant
- The 5 Key Steps to Earning a Full-Time
Income From Home
by Lisa Taliga
I opened the newspaper and there it was. The article
that would change my life.
It was called 'How to stay at home and earn a full-time
income as a Virtual Assistant.'
Quit the day job and freelance from home? Yes, please!
At that time, I was feeling stifled, unfulfilled and
unmotivated in my corporate office job. I had been an
Executive Assistant for years, and life had become
one predictable 9-to-5 day after another.
I had always wanted to run my own show and be my
own boss. Working from home would be the icing on the cake!
Soon, my evenings and weekends were devoted to
finding out more about this exciting new opportunity.
I transitioned gradually into working full-time from
home as a Virtual Assistant and achieved this within
a year. I have never looked back and finally feel rewarded,
challenged and satisfied in my virtual career.
Thanks to the internet, it has never been easier to
work from home. People all over the world are setting
up home based businesses out of a desire for independence,
flexibility and control over their destiny.
All of these new business owners could potentially use
the services of a Virtual Assistant, without having to take
on an employee.
The future of Virtual Assistance is certainly looking bright.
It's one of the fastest growing industries on the internet
and is expected to be a $130 billion industry by 2008
(Source: George Washington University).
So, how do you become a Virtual Assistant?
Here are five steps to help you on your way:
Step One: What is a Virtual Assistant?
The first step to becoming a Virtual Assistant is to truly
understand what one is and does. The industry is still
quite new and many people don't quite understand
what the concept is.
The best way to describe the Virtual Assistant
role is to briefly explain what I did this week.
Working from my home office with several different clients, I:
*typed up some reports for a consultant and emailed them back
*prepared a Powerpoint presentation for a speaker who was
presenting at a conference overseas the following day,
emailed it to him and uploaded it to his website
*designed and organized the printing of a flyer for a singer
who has a performance coming up
*set up and sent out a newsletter for a finance broker
I did all this without seeing or meeting any of the clients:
we spoke on the phone and/or emailed each other.
Some of my clients are local, some are long distance.
Think of the Virtual Assistant as a freelance administrator,
designer, organizer, desktop publisher, researcher, editor,
typist, secretary, co-ordinator, all rolled into one!
Rather than being an employee, a Virtual Assistant
is an independent contractor. Clients enjoy the flexibility
of using Virtual Assistant services as and when they require,
without having to pay a regular wage and employee benefits.
Step Two: Carry out a Self-Assessment
The beauty of becoming a Virtual Assistant is that you
get to decide what work you want to do. You can create
your own unique business, based on your skills and experience.
Analyze your current and previous work experience. Write
everything down, no matter how 'minor' you think it is.
Are you a good typist? Are you a natural at organizing
events? Can you design flyers and brochures? Do you
write letters on behalf of your boss? How about research -
are you good at digging around for information?
These are all skills that you can translate into services
for your clients. You may feel that you need to take
further training in certain skills, and that's fine too.
Step Three: Plan your way to success
This is the step that many people shrink back from.
However, it doesn't have to be a lengthy or formal
business plan. At the very least, you need to outline
a plan on paper covering aspects such as your goals,
business name ideas, hourly rates, licences/permits,
services you're going to offer, what equipment you
need to buy, and so on.
The main thing is not to get too caught up on getting
it perfect. Your business plan will change and evolve
as your business grows. Think of it as a roadmap that
will keep you on the right track for your freelance business.
Step Four: Get Those Clients Flocking!
One of the first questions you'll be asking yourself
is 'How am I going to get clients?' There are several
ways you can market your Virtual Assistant business
and get your name out there:
Networking: go along to your local Chamber of Commerce
meetings and get talking to fellow business owners.
I have found that this is one of the best ways to meet clients.
Don't forget your business cards!
Word of mouth: tell everyone what you're doing. Sooner
or later, your friends, relatives, and first clients will
recommend you to others.
Get a website: one of my largest ongoing clients found
me through my website. As you're working virtually,
you'll be expected to have an online presence.
Participate in online discussion forums: there are forums
on the internet where small business owners 'meet' to
discuss challenges, offer advice and so on.
Register with online business directories and
Virtual Assistant networks.
Write articles that your target market would be
interested in. Submit them to online article directories
to establish credibility and get valuable exposure.
Step Five: Keep the momentum going
Once you've got your first clients and business is
starting to take off, the key is not to become complacent.
Keep your existing clients happy by providing outstanding
customer service, establish good systems to keep a healthy
cash flow coming in, and look after your health and well being!
These are the steps that I followed to become a successful
Virtual Assistant and work from home full-time.
If you would love to gain control of your life and skip that
daily commute, why not take your first step today?
How To Become A Virtual Assistant!
Lisa Taliga's permission...
How to Become a Virtual Assistant
- The 5 Key Steps to Earning a Full-Time
Income From Home
by Lisa Taliga
I opened the newspaper and there it was. The article
that would change my life.
It was called 'How to stay at home and earn a full-time
income as a Virtual Assistant.'
Quit the day job and freelance from home? Yes, please!
At that time, I was feeling stifled, unfulfilled and
unmotivated in my corporate office job. I had been an
Executive Assistant for years, and life had become
one predictable 9-to-5 day after another.
I had always wanted to run my own show and be my
own boss. Working from home would be the icing on the cake!
Soon, my evenings and weekends were devoted to
finding out more about this exciting new opportunity.
I transitioned gradually into working full-time from
home as a Virtual Assistant and achieved this within
a year. I have never looked back and finally feel rewarded,
challenged and satisfied in my virtual career.
Thanks to the internet, it has never been easier to
work from home. People all over the world are setting
up home based businesses out of a desire for independence,
flexibility and control over their destiny.
All of these new business owners could potentially use
the services of a Virtual Assistant, without having to take
on an employee.
The future of Virtual Assistance is certainly looking bright.
It's one of the fastest growing industries on the internet
and is expected to be a $130 billion industry by 2008
(Source: George Washington University).
So, how do you become a Virtual Assistant?
Here are five steps to help you on your way:
Step One: What is a Virtual Assistant?
The first step to becoming a Virtual Assistant is to truly
understand what one is and does. The industry is still
quite new and many people don't quite understand
what the concept is.
The best way to describe the Virtual Assistant
role is to briefly explain what I did this week.
Working from my home office with several different clients, I:
*typed up some reports for a consultant and emailed them back
*prepared a Powerpoint presentation for a speaker who was
presenting at a conference overseas the following day,
emailed it to him and uploaded it to his website
*designed and organized the printing of a flyer for a singer
who has a performance coming up
*set up and sent out a newsletter for a finance broker
I did all this without seeing or meeting any of the clients:
we spoke on the phone and/or emailed each other.
Some of my clients are local, some are long distance.
Think of the Virtual Assistant as a freelance administrator,
designer, organizer, desktop publisher, researcher, editor,
typist, secretary, co-ordinator, all rolled into one!
Rather than being an employee, a Virtual Assistant
is an independent contractor. Clients enjoy the flexibility
of using Virtual Assistant services as and when they require,
without having to pay a regular wage and employee benefits.
Step Two: Carry out a Self-Assessment
The beauty of becoming a Virtual Assistant is that you
get to decide what work you want to do. You can create
your own unique business, based on your skills and experience.
Analyze your current and previous work experience. Write
everything down, no matter how 'minor' you think it is.
Are you a good typist? Are you a natural at organizing
events? Can you design flyers and brochures? Do you
write letters on behalf of your boss? How about research -
are you good at digging around for information?
These are all skills that you can translate into services
for your clients. You may feel that you need to take
further training in certain skills, and that's fine too.
Step Three: Plan your way to success
This is the step that many people shrink back from.
However, it doesn't have to be a lengthy or formal
business plan. At the very least, you need to outline
a plan on paper covering aspects such as your goals,
business name ideas, hourly rates, licences/permits,
services you're going to offer, what equipment you
need to buy, and so on.
The main thing is not to get too caught up on getting
it perfect. Your business plan will change and evolve
as your business grows. Think of it as a roadmap that
will keep you on the right track for your freelance business.
Step Four: Get Those Clients Flocking!
One of the first questions you'll be asking yourself
is 'How am I going to get clients?' There are several
ways you can market your Virtual Assistant business
and get your name out there:
Networking: go along to your local Chamber of Commerce
meetings and get talking to fellow business owners.
I have found that this is one of the best ways to meet clients.
Don't forget your business cards!
Word of mouth: tell everyone what you're doing. Sooner
or later, your friends, relatives, and first clients will
recommend you to others.
Get a website: one of my largest ongoing clients found
me through my website. As you're working virtually,
you'll be expected to have an online presence.
Participate in online discussion forums: there are forums
on the internet where small business owners 'meet' to
discuss challenges, offer advice and so on.
Register with online business directories and
Virtual Assistant networks.
Write articles that your target market would be
interested in. Submit them to online article directories
to establish credibility and get valuable exposure.
Step Five: Keep the momentum going
Once you've got your first clients and business is
starting to take off, the key is not to become complacent.
Keep your existing clients happy by providing outstanding
customer service, establish good systems to keep a healthy
cash flow coming in, and look after your health and well being!
These are the steps that I followed to become a successful
Virtual Assistant and work from home full-time.
If you would love to gain control of your life and skip that
daily commute, why not take your first step today?
How To Become A Virtual Assistant!
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Virtual Assistants: Seeing Into The Future
The below article is reprinted here with the
permission of the author, Lisa Taliga. Enjoy!
Virtual Assistance -Does It Have A Future?
by Lisa Taliga
I'm excited to be able to tell you about
a recent report called 'What Does the Future
Hold for Virtual Assistants?'
The George Washington University states that:
"...the virtual assisting industry is growing rapidly
and is expected to be a $130 BILLION industry
by 2008, but it could be larger."
Under the category 'Emerging Technologies',
Virtual Assistance is listed alongside such major
industries as e-commerce, electronic banking and
portable IT devices!
It's believed that Virtual Assistance will be one of
the top ten technological breakthroughs that will
occur by 2010 at the latest. Virtual Assistants
will soon be a widely accepted means of business
support.
The potential target market for VAs is growing at
a rapid pace, with more and more people setting
up their own businesses from home and needing
the services of professional VAs.
There is more than enough work to go around,
and there is still 'room' for many more Virtual
Assistants to join the industry. Indeed, most of
my clients had never even heard of Virtual
Assistants before they started working
with me!
One of my clients said to me the other day:
'I used to sit in my office with all this stuff to do,
wishing I could offload it to someone outside my
office who I could trust, but I didn't know who to
turn to. I had never heard of Virtual Assistants
until you came along.'
This should give you an idea of the vast pool of
potential clients that are just waiting for us to
help them! Just think of all the other prospects
who are overwhelmed by their workloads,
wondering who to turn to!
Lisa Taliga is a Virtual Assistant and author of
'Freelance from Home! The 5 Key Steps to Your
Successful Virtual Assistant Business' and
‘The 7 Things You Must Know Before Starting
Your Successful Virtual Assistant Business’.
Get your free eBook and newsletter subscription
to find out how to become a Virtual Assistant...
The Future Is Now!
permission of the author, Lisa Taliga. Enjoy!
Virtual Assistance -Does It Have A Future?
by Lisa Taliga
I'm excited to be able to tell you about
a recent report called 'What Does the Future
Hold for Virtual Assistants?'
The George Washington University states that:
"...the virtual assisting industry is growing rapidly
and is expected to be a $130 BILLION industry
by 2008, but it could be larger."
Under the category 'Emerging Technologies',
Virtual Assistance is listed alongside such major
industries as e-commerce, electronic banking and
portable IT devices!
It's believed that Virtual Assistance will be one of
the top ten technological breakthroughs that will
occur by 2010 at the latest. Virtual Assistants
will soon be a widely accepted means of business
support.
The potential target market for VAs is growing at
a rapid pace, with more and more people setting
up their own businesses from home and needing
the services of professional VAs.
There is more than enough work to go around,
and there is still 'room' for many more Virtual
Assistants to join the industry. Indeed, most of
my clients had never even heard of Virtual
Assistants before they started working
with me!
One of my clients said to me the other day:
'I used to sit in my office with all this stuff to do,
wishing I could offload it to someone outside my
office who I could trust, but I didn't know who to
turn to. I had never heard of Virtual Assistants
until you came along.'
This should give you an idea of the vast pool of
potential clients that are just waiting for us to
help them! Just think of all the other prospects
who are overwhelmed by their workloads,
wondering who to turn to!
Lisa Taliga is a Virtual Assistant and author of
'Freelance from Home! The 5 Key Steps to Your
Successful Virtual Assistant Business' and
‘The 7 Things You Must Know Before Starting
Your Successful Virtual Assistant Business’.
Get your free eBook and newsletter subscription
to find out how to become a Virtual Assistant...
The Future Is Now!
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