If you are looking to work for yourself and build your own freedom, learning how to become a virtual assistant (also known as VA) might be ideal for you!

As a virtual assistant, you get to choose who you work for and what tasks you take on. You’ll be able to manage your own schedule and work from anywhere.

You’ll have a lot to learn, you’ll need to be determined and don’t give up at the first hurdle, but the freedom that will come with being in charge of your own life is going to be incredible.

1. Take training courses

You’ve got to prepare for working as a VA and running your online business. The best place to start is to find some online training focused on VAs. There are many free and paid courses and skills tools available to you right now. When you find some that you like, look for reviews or ask other VAs what might help. Consider joining LinkedIn or other networking groups to ask people working as virtual administrative assistants about the courses they took.

Learning from experts is a fantastic way to build the right skills and understand what will be expected of you when you land your first job.

2. Determine the work you like and can do

After you’ve taken a class or two, and read plenty of blogs like this one, it’s time to figure out what VA tasks you like to do and are good at doing. These make a wonderful place to start in terms of what services you offer clients.

Create your list of tasks you’ll do and see how they’re related. If there are things you can’t do, write that down too. It’ll help you avoid taking a project where you’ll be less likely to succeed.

When you’re first starting out, you’ll be working on a lot of things at once. This will include your business and online work as well as what you do for clients. Sticking to what you’re good at initially will help you perform well.

3. Figure out the prices to charge

Pricing and fees vary greatly in the world of virtual administrative assistants and VAs. How much you make will change based on the tasks you do and the size of your clients. The best place to start is to look at what others are being paid.

Remember that your prices should be high enough to help you cover your business expenses and overhead, plus other things like healthcare if needed. Being a freelancer means no paid vacation or benefits unless you make enough money to cover those costs yourself.

4. Create an online presence

After learning about your preferences and pricing, you need to share them with the world. The best place to start is to create an online portfolio or resume to showcase what you’ve done in the past, relevant work skills, and any certifications you got from your training courses. Having a website and social media presence can make it much easier for people to start finding you.

There are many free options for creating a website and your social work should include LinkedIn and Facebook. There are also platforms like Upwork that give you a standard portfolio and make it easier for clients to judge you and see what you can do.

5. Start applying to jobs

Now you have to start looking for those clients! The first thing to do is look on job boards for companies in need. Some services like Upwork help people hire freelance virtual assistants right away. In other cases, you might see that a company wants to hire an assistant. Instead of applying for their permanent position, you can email the HR department or hiring manager and pitch your services as a virtual assistant. This would allow you to work from home and control more of your freelancing day, but still give that client the services they need.

Remember to always stay professional and be responsive. People want you to communicate quickly and clearly, so they’ll expect a fast reply to any phone call or email that they send.

6. Set up your business

When setting up your business, you need to be sure you take the proper legal actions. You need to decide if you will be operating as a Sole Proprietor or as a Limited Liability Company. Also, secure any licenses or permits required to operate your business.

You may want to consult with an attorney and accountant to be sure you have everything in place to make your business legal.

Create contracts for your clients to be sure you both agree to the terms and conditions of the services you are offering, and that you get paid on time.

Also, check on getting business insurance to protect both your business and personal assets in the event of a lawsuit.

7. Create your website & social media networks

Some say it’s not necessary, but I’m a firm believer that it’s majorly beneficial for your business to have a virtual assistant website and social media accounts.

In my opinion, by having a website, you look more professional, and it’s a great way to showcase your business. You can also list your packages and pricing and let clients find you! Some knowledge of WordPress and website design may be useful.

Social media networks are one of the best ways to market your business. Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram are platform powerhouses that you can utilize for free to search for clients and set up business pages that attract clients to you.

If you’re interested in becoming a social media virtual assistant, this is the perfect way to show your skills.

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