How To Become a Virtual Assistant
Virtual Assistant - Your New Career Path
It may seem a little daunting starting a career as a virtual assistant, especially if you are entering the self employed world! Here are my top 5 tips to get started as a virtual assistant.
To Niche or Not To Niche
You will often hear at the start of your VA journey that you need to know your ideal client. A "niche" is something that you already may know how to do, or an industry that you already have experience in. It can be a benefit to identify a niche as you can target a specific audience with your marketing; marketing directly to their wants and needs. The downside to niching is that you may find you limit yourself to who you can work with. I know many VAs who work with all different kinds of industries and absolutely love the variety. It’s down to your personal preference who you choose to work with.
Get The Equipment
The beauty of this business is the very low start-up costs. A good computer/laptop is key, along with internet access and security (LastPass and 1ty.me are FREE recommended websites that will create and store log-in and password details securely!) but aside from that, anything else you add is more for your comfort.
Name Your Business
Your business is going to need a name - it doesn’t have to be anything fancy; it can literally be your name or you can go wild and come up with something really quirky. It’s completely up to you what you name your business, but it’s a good idea to have something relating to what you do in there, i.e. Jane Smith Virtual Services or The Admin Fairy, etc.
The Legalities
Before you start working with clients there are a few things that you must have in place. You will be handling data which means you need to be ICO registered (don't worry - it sounds scarier than it is!)
Professional Indemnity Insurance is also a must; you will be working on behalf of your clients so it’s vital that you are protected with Professional Indemnity insurance. Compare the Market is a great tool for this.
You will need to register as self-employed with HMRC. Once you have your business name you can register online, and you will be given a code to use when it comes to do your tax return.
Make Your Own Socials/Website
Having an online presence is vital when it comes to being a VA. Now, you don’t have to have everything in place when you start up, but it’s a good idea to have at least one platform where potential clients can find you, you can market yourself and show your followers what you can do! I would recommend a Facebook to start off with.
Conclusion
Nailing the core basics for starting out in your career as a VA can help you on the path to starting a successful career in the VA world. For more tips on how to get started as a VA, why not download my free “How to get Started Guide” to help as you embark on your new career as a VA.
