One of the hottest online businesses right now is in the virtual assistant field.

More and more businesses and entrepreneurs are trying to outsource their tasks to credible online assistants so they can free up time to do other work.

A virtual assistant, or VA, provides virtual secretary services to individuals, organizations or companies. It can be an excellent opportunity to earn a living remotely.

The best thing about becoming a VA is that you can start your own business and be profitable without a degree or a ton of experience.

What Does a Virtual Assistant Actually Do?

VAs take on a wide variety of tasks but many of them are simple to learn so long as you’re familiar with basic computer tasks and can perform research. The type of work you’ll do will vary depending on your client’s needs, but virtual assistants tend to take on tasks like:

• • Managing email
  • Blog management
  • Editing content
  • Paying invoices or accounting work
  • Social media management
  • Scheduling meetings
  • Booking travel
  • Researching
  • Marketing and promoting
  • Creating graphics
  • Customer service

As you can see, VAs often serve as personal assistants who do the bulk of their work online. It’s important to realize that you can narrow down your services offerings and don’t have to specialize in all the tasks mentioned above.

I know some VAs who only specialize in helping bloggers and others who only manage social media or create Pinterest images.

How Much Do They Make?

How much you can earn with a VA business depends on the services you provide as well as your client’s budget. If you’re performing basic tasks as a beginner, you can expect to make $10 – $15 per hour. More experienced VAs performing advanced duties can make $20 – $40+ per hour.

If you have a really specialized skill set, you may even be able to make $100 per hour.

Where to Find Work

There are two main ways to find solid VA work. You can either work for a company that hires VAs or start your own VA business and offers services to clients you find on your own.

Of course, you’ll have more flexibility and freedom when it comes to setting rates and choosing your schedule if you decide to go the business route. However, here are a few sites that hire VAs if you’re looking to get some experience.

• 99 Social
• Time Etc
• Zirtual
• VA Sumo
• Worldwide 101
• Fancy Hands

If you want to find clients on your own and have more control over your rates, you can use job board sites like Upwork, send cold pitches, or ask for referrals.

I know what you’re thinking, cold pitching is probably not your top choice but it really works. Imagine how many people are looking for VAs to help them run and grow your business. Some people may just be overwhelmed and not even know they need an assistant but your pitch can start the conversation. Use social media or search engines to find promising prospects, then send them a pitch about your service offerings.

You can also ask your network if they know anyone who might need a VA or check on LinkedIn. If you can focus on landing an initial client and providing a valuable service for them, you’re likely to get referrals.

Setting Up a Business

Want to know how to set up your VA business? First, you’ll need a website. Come up with a name for your business and create a basic website to share your services and rates. If you have testimonials, it’s a good idea to throw them on your site as well.

Next, think about how you want to structure your business. Do you want to be a sole-proprietor, LLC, or S-Corp? There is no right or wrong decision.

Get involved with social media and do a little marketing. Share tips and free guides on your website and social profiles to entice prospects and demonstrate your knowledge.

Also, consider the costs of becoming a business owner. You’ll have expenses like training, materials, and start-up costs, as well as taxes to consider so it would be wise to work with an accountant.

You should keep business expenses in mind when determining your rate for VA services so you can price for profit.

Overall, running a VA business can be very rewarding. You get to work from home and help others grow their business while fulfilling your own dream.

Have you ever thought about becoming a virtual assistant? Do you know anyone who would be a good fit for this role? Be sure to share this post with them!