I know from experience that when you first discover Virtual Assistants exist and you suspect you might want to be one, you research the subject to death and then quickly become overwhelmed with information. So, here are the most frequently asked questions about becoming a Virtual Assistant to help you decide if it’s the right career for you.
Being a Virtual Assistant is awesome. I have a fantastic lifestyle and have worked in countries all around the world. But the life of a freelancer isn’t all unicorns and fairies, it’s definitely not a “side hustle” or a way of making easy money. Let me tell you what’s actually involved in setting up and running a VA business so you can decide if it’s for you.
When you decide you’re going to become a Virtual Assistant and take over the Universe, one of the things you’ll need to do is tell HMRC you’re no longer working for The Man but for many men and women instead. The information provided below is based on current UK tax laws, so please check what your own government requires if you live outside of the UK.
LinkedIn is a fantastic way for Virtual Assistants to find clients. By optimising your profile and using LinkedIn’s unique networking features, you can showcase your VA skills, build credibility, and connect with people you want to work with. In this post, I’ll show you how to use LinkedIn effectively and write a stand-out, client-landing profile.
I frequently see members of the Handbookers Facebook group say they struggle to find work despite posting regularly on social media. But posting random content without knowing what to say, where to say it and who to say it to is about as effective as shouting out the window. To get clients, Virtual Assistants need a solid marketing strategy.
ChatGPT is revolutionising the way VAs work and frankly, we all need to keep up or risk becoming obsolete. If you’ve ever used ChatGPT you’ll know that it can do some absolutely incredible things including getting through twice the amount of work in half the time. But did you know that using ChatGPT’s custom instructions will produce even better results?
AI is the most groundbreaking advancement in the history of the Virtual Assistance industry and I am all over it. New technology and AI are evolving at an unprecedented rate and any VA who wants to stay competitive really should stay on top of these changes because, just like our clients, we need to stay relevant if we want to stay competitive.
Whether you’re still in the process of setting up your VA business or have already started working with clients, managing your time can be a real challenge. Your schedule as a business owner will be very different from when you worked as an employee, so having an effective task-management system in place will make a huge difference.
Another great quick-win task to suggest to your clients is monitoring for plagiarism. This is actually something my own Virtual Assistant does for me every month as I like to know my content isn’t being used without my permission. Not only is this a great service to offer clients, but you can also check to see if your own website content is being stolen.
This is a Virtual Assistant case study and interview with Tom Lingard. Based in Birmingham, Tom set up his VA business, The Remote Assistant in August 2020 and specialises in creative projects. Outside of the office Tom enjoys exploring the wonderful sights and scenes of the UK and also loves travelling the world as a digital nomad.
At some point, a client is going to ask to change a clause in your Virtual Assistant freelancer contract. This is perfectly normal and there is no need to panic. However, while a contract is just a starting point, knowing how to negotiate a clause and navigating the process can feel overwhelming – especially if you’re a new VA.
What do we want? Fabulous, well-paying clients! When do we want them? Right this second! Every freelancer needs to find work, but do popular outsourcing websites like Upwork, People Per Hour, 3desk, Fiverr, and Guru actually lead to well-paid work for Virtual Assistants? Read on to find out.
