The job of a virtual assistant is a flexible and great way of earning an extra income in today’s society.
They have been a rise in the demand for virtual assistants in organizations like universities, and healthcare centers requiring the services of virtual assistants in managing the technical and administrative aspects of their establishment.
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Becoming a virtual assistant is a great way to earn an income online. It provides you with the allowance to work at your own pace and location of choice.
In this article, we will be looking at the various ways you can make good money as a virtual assistant.
What are Virtual Assistant Jobs?
Virtual assistants are administrative support positions that handle a wide range of secretarial duties from a remote place.
The duties assigned to each virtual assistant are dependent on the individual skill and they often involve managing schedules, research work, data entry, sending emails, and making phone calls.
Organizations such as marketing firms, health care facilities, tertiary educational institutions, technological firms, consulting agencies, and recruitment agencies offer positions of virtual assistant.
Essential steps to take in becoming a virtual assistant
The following steps should be undertaken when considering becoming a professional virtual assistant.
Decide on the services to offer
The first step that must be considered in becoming a virtual assistant is to decide on the services that you will be offering.
Some services offered by virtual assistants include the following:
- Data entry
- Sending emails
- Management of Amazon account
- Management of social media account
- Customer service support
- Content creation
- Graphics
- Event planning
- Research work
- Advertising and marketing
- Website design
- Calendar and scheduling management
Set up an office
As a virtual assistant, you need to set up an office in a quiet place free from all forms of distraction.
Setting up an office space in your home will be great as it will give you that professional environment to work effectively.
Also, you will need a computer with a good internet connection and every software that will ensure your success as a virtual assistant.
Develop your portfolio
It is important to build your portfolio after deciding on the services and skills you will be offering. A portfolio is a collection of works that showcases an individual’s experience and skills.
It is a means of advertising your work abilities to potential clients. Creating a portfolio simply involves gathering samples of previous projects you have completed.
These samples include writing jobs, graphics designs, and client-satisfactory comments, and more.
Build a website
Creating a website is a great way of promoting the services you offer as a virtual assistant. The website should be easy to use, professional, and visually appealing.
You must include on the website a list of the services you offer and samples of your previous work.
This will give potential clients an understanding of the services that you offer, how your services can help their business grow, and the quality of services available.
In addition, you should include information on your work experience and background. This could be certifications, training, and relevant work experience.
Testimonials of previous clients can also be included on the website to offer social proof and give clients knowledge of how you have performed in the past.
Develop your network
Networking is an effective way through which virtual assistants get new clients.
Ways by which virtual assistants discover new business opportunities include:
- Online communities
Being a part of an online community or forum in your industry is a great way of making connections with other professionals and gaining new clients.
Taking part in discussions is also one of the ways of networking with others to gain new clients.
- Professional associations
Professional associations usually hold conferences which can be a good opportunity to network with other professionals in the industry.
These professional events and conferences also serve as a platform for gaining new clients.
- Local networking occasions
Events or occasions organized and held locally in the industry can be used as an opportunity to associate with other professionals and network to gain new customers.
Find clients
Clients can be gotten using e-commerce platforms, freelance marketplaces, and online job boards.
Examples of freelance marketplaces available are:
Upwork
This is a platform that connects freelancers with clients in search of a large variety of services including virtual assistance.
Fiverr
The platform allows people to offer services like writing, graphic design, virtual assistance, and lots more.
Sellers on Fiverr are required to create a profile and give a list of services that they offer while buyers are allowed to browse and make purchase decisions from different sellers.
Etsy
To find clients on Etsy, virtual assistants are required to create a seller account and offer their services in the services category provided.
To promote your services as a virtual assistant, you can open your own Etsy shop on the platform, social media advertising, or join an Etsy team forum that is related to your skill or expertise.
eBay
This can be a great platform for finding clients as a virtual assistant. EBay has a large number of sellers who can require help with tasks like customer service, product listing, and order fulfillment.
Amazon
This is an e-commerce marketplace that allows sellers to offer a wide range of products such as electronics, and household equipment.
A virtual assistant can provide Amazon sellers services like customer services, product listings, and order fulfilment.
Contract creation
A clear agreement fulfillment outlining the scope of work, method of payment, and every other detail of the project must be put into place when accepting the contract.
This will ensure that both the seller and client have a good understanding of the project before commencement.
Marketing your service
The next step to take after setting up a website and determining your rates is to market your virtual assistant services.
Ways of marketing your services include:
- Freelance job boards
Job boards such as Upwork and Fiverr can be used in bidding for projects. These sites are competitive so you need to build a strong portfolio and create a well-defined proposal to be relevant and get clients.
- Social media
Social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram can be used to share work portfolios and gain new clients.
- Email marketing
This involves creating a newsletter to serve as a reminder to your potential clients about the services and special offers you have.
- Networking events
Local and international industry events are a great place to connect with other professionals and also gain new customers as well.
High Paying Virtual Assistant Jobs
Data entry job
This job involves converting data from hard copy into soft copy. They maintain the digital database by updating available information, processing customers’ accounts, and removing old files to avoid duplication of data.
They also ensure that the information available in the database is secure.
Administrative clerk
An administrative clerk communicates with clients, takes phone calls, schedules meetings, and evaluates transactions.
They also perform tasks such as data entry, correspondence reports, typing, editing, and proofreading of documents.
Virtual receptionist
These are professionals who attend to phone calls, report messages to superiors, schedule appointments, and give clients information to aid easy purchases.
They provide customer support using phone calls or video chat and collaborate with contractors and vendors to resolve logistic issues.
Social media assistant
Social media assistants are professionals who create posts on social media platforms. They plan campaigns on social media, and analyze the impact of these campaigns.
The success of these campaigns is reported to the marketing team. The team determines areas that need improvement and creates new strategies to increase its presence across online platforms.
Virtual legal assistant
Virtual legal assistants are referred to as professionals who engage in providing remote assistance to lawyers before a trial commences.
They are involved in tasks such as legal research, transcription, email monitoring, and legal case management.
They also respond to queries, organize travel, draft legal documents, manage calendars, and prepare presentations.
Operations Assistant
This is a professional working with the operations manager of a company to ensure the fast execution of administrative tasks.
The operations assistant also helps to ensure that organizational policies are implemented, manages orders, and resolves all operational-related issues.
Virtual event coordinator
These are professionals who remotely organize events. They select a venue, set a day and time for which an event is to occur, manage the budget, and collaborate with other stakeholders all through the process of planning.
The virtual event coordinator has the responsibility of assessing the success of the event and reporting the findings to clients.
Conclusion
There are a whole lot of opportunities available in our world today and one of these is that of a virtual assistant.
The search for virtual assistants is on the rise today as companies, industries, and healthcare service centers need individuals to take care of their administration, events, social media pages, and channels, and maintain their databases.
It is indeed a profitable venture for all interested in making a good amount of money online in the comfort of your home or remote places.
FAQs
- What type of tasks do virtual assistants perform?
Virtual assistants engage in tasks such as administrative, creative and technical assistance from a home office.
- How much can I earn as a virtual assistant?
The amount a virtual assistant earns depends on certain factors such as the level of experience, services offered, and qualifications. As a virtual assistant, you can earn $10 to $50 each hour.
- What skills are necessary for a virtual assistant?
As a virtual assistant, you need to develop good communication skills and be skilled in the use of a computer system with basic office software knowledge.