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hotbiz virtual office
Home Based Business Idea
V I R T U A L A S S I S T A N T:
Business
Description:
If
you have achieved a high level of efficiency in performing
administrative tasks while receiving little or no guidance - then
becoming a virtual assistant
may be a home-based business for you. A Virtual Assistant or VA for
short provides professional administrative and technical solutions to
the business community. Your clients can be small
business/home-based or a large corporate conglomerate. You work
with virtual information by means of email, fax and transferring data to
provide assistance on demand to clients anywhere in the world.
Typical assistants specialize word processing, form design, spreadsheet
creation, database design and other administrative tasks. As a VA
you are providing a valuable service by allowing a business to outsource
their tasks and contract on an as needed basis.
Virtual assistants may never see or get to know who they are working with. You communicate entirely via electronic transmissions and occasionally by phone.
Your reputation is built through satisfied clients who can then verify the product/service you deliver by sending them to references they may email or call. By developing a portfolio of your work you can deliver samples online for the prospective client to view. The good thing about doing business this way is that the client knows what they are getting up front with little or no emotion involved - the bad thing is exactly the same. If you have a sick child at home or a family situation arises which causes you to be late with an assignment - you may not receive the compassion you are seeking from "virtual" clients.
Your
client profile is anyone from a one man shop, business travelers,
small companies to large corporation/non-profit or government office. Your assignments might be anything from one page documents to setting up
a small business management database.
Your
Unique Skills:
Become proficient in as many of the most popular administrative
applications/Office Suite products as you can. Most of your assignments will
include some for of word processing so you need to be a pro at MS WORD - word
processing software. Experience in an administrative position will help sell you
on a resume but the bottom line will come from your portfolio of work and
current references.
Specialized skills will help you secure special clients in an industry where your insider knowledge will be an asset. If you have an experience in a field or industry mention this in your portfolio and market yourself to that industry.
Your
skills should include: order, organization, neatness, grammar, business
forms knowledge and superior editing skills. It may only take one error/sloppy page to lose a client. The
benefit of being virtual is that you can be independent, work from home and work
for more than one client (often in different industries.) Refined time management skills - you might have
several clients making demands on your time and skills simultaneously.
Tools
of the Trade
A good computer, software - including the latest Office products, printer and fax.
If you want to create an online portfolio for anyone to view then you should
create a website which showcases your work. As an administrative assistant
you can offer website rework/layout as one of your many services.
Show
Me the Money
Verify the rates that other VA's are charging by viewing their online
portfolio. Charge competitive rates. Rates
might range from $20-$50 an hour. Depending on how many hours you want to work
each week, you could make anywhere from $25,000 to $80,000.
Getting
Your Foot in The Door:
You
develop a portfolio of satisfied clients, a resume, work samples/portfolio and a
letter introducing your services. Send the information to each of your
acquaintances and friends with the attachment available to download.
Create a nice business name and have professional business cards made.
To
Learn More...
www.ivaa.org
- International Virtual Assistants Organization
www.assistu.com
www.abssi.org - The Association of Business Support Services - "Helping
Owners of Business-Support/Virtual-Assistant Services Build Successful Businesses Since 1981"
gava.org - Global Association of Virtual Assistants
Submitted by: admin
Hits: 0
Added: Sun Jul 31 2005
Last Modified: Wed Aug 10 2005
