How to Start A Virtual Assistant Business

This is a simplified guide on how to start a Virtual Assistant business. This is for informational purposes only and not intended to replace legal and/or accounting advice and requirements. As always, do your research to find out the proper legal protocols and requirements for starting a business in your city, county and/or state.

1. You need to know the answer to this question: What is a Virtual Assistant?

2. What skill set do you have to offer as Virtual Assistant?

Assess your skills and ask yourself these questions:
Do I have the self discipline and motivation to run a Virtual Assistant
Business?

What are you already exceptional at and like to do?

What would you like to learn or need to learn how to do?

3. Decide if you will get some kind of Virtual Assistant Training and/or obtain Virtual Assistant Certification.

4. Money in the Bank

Do you have a financial plan? Do you have at least six months to a year’s income in your bank account to assist you in the beginning stages of your business? The money is not going to start rolling in right away. Have you decided if you will work your business part-time while keeping a full-time job until it is feasible for you to leave? Do you have a safety cushion in your bank if you choose to work your Virtual Assistant Business full-time? These are questions that need to be thought about and addressed.

5. Zoning Laws and Obtaining A Business License

In some areas, zoning Laws prohibit running a business from your home. Do your research and contact the proper authorities to find out if it is permissible and what restrictions and requirements are in place.

Because laws vary from place to place, make sure you do some research and obtain any licenses or registrations necessary to operate your Virtual Assistant Business legally.

Here are some Business License Resources:

USA
Australia
Canada
UK
 

6. Filing Fictitious Business Name or Registering a Business Name
I am a sole proprietor and because I didn't want to do business under my legal name I had to file for a fictitious business name.

7. Federal and State Tax ID

Some laws require you to get a Federal and State Tax ID if you have employees, are a LLC, or have incorporated. You may be able to also get a Federal Tax ID if you don't want to do business using your personal social security number.

8. Tax and Accounting Advice

An accountant can advise you of what expenses you are allowed to deduct for your Virtual Assistant Business, the best business entity structure for your business, and proper record-keeping for tax purposes.

9. Business Plan

Have you heard the saying "people don't plan to fail, but fail to plan?" A business plan is imperative to the success of your Virtual Assistant Business. Business plans can include start-up costs for your business and whether or not you will need a financial loan. Also a business plan can include both short-term and long-term goals for your business.

Helpful article on writing a business plan:

Business Plan for Virtual Assistant

10. Marketing Plan

Determine who your target market and/or niche will be. Will you market to real estate agents, chiropractors, dentists, etc.? Don't try to be all things to all people. Narrow down your target market as much as possible. Also find various ways to market your business, including but not limited to:

Internet Marketing (website, press releases, writing articles, ads)
Offline Marketing (business cards, flyers, brochures, yellow pages, classified ads)

11. Setting Your Virtual Assistance Price List

The biggest issue most new VA Businesses have is how to determine what to charge for their services. Don't underestimate the value of your expertise. Read more about setting a Virtual Assistance Price List.

12. Insurance and Benefits

Businesses need some kind of liability insurance. This protects you in the case of law suits, etc.

Being self-employed doesn't have any fringe benefits. So you need to make sure you have some kind of income protection insurance. This could be handy if you become disabled.

Leaving your old job to strike out on your own, you probably lost all your health, medical, vision, and dental benefits when you left your employer. So you will need to make sure you have health insurance to cover these expenses as well.

13. Have your Own Website

As a Virtual Assistant professional, I recommend having a website. Deciding on whether or not to build it yourself or have it built for you is another decision that needs to be made.

Building a website is not as hard as you may think. There are several wonderful site builders that are for those of us with no html skills. You just plunk in your content and the site builder pretty much does the rest.

Internet Based Family provides a wonderful site builder that produces professional and quality websites with over 500 templates to choose from. It is very affordable and offers shopping carts, auto responders, message boards, and much more. It’s very easy to use even if you have never built a website and have no HTML skills. They have a  free 10 day trial so you can check it out before you buy.

Another excellent site builder is Xsitepro. This site builder offers more bang for your buck. This is a wise route to go if you don't want to pay monthly fees for a sitebuilder. This is the site builder I use for my Virtual Assistant website. It's easy to learn how to use even if you've never built a website.

I'm all for doing it yourself because you're in control of your website and don't have to rely on a webmaster to make changes and updates to your website.

14. Network, Network, and Network

You never know who you are going to meet where. Use every opportunity you have to network. Tell as many people as possible about your Virtual Assistant business and what you have to offer. Keep in touch with individuals you meet that could help you grow your business.

Submit your website and services to VA directories.

For information on organizations, associations, directories, and networking hot spots, check out the Virtual Assistant Organizations we have listed.

Have business cards available to hand out when you go to the grocery store, doctor, bank, daycare....ok, I think you get the point.

Most importantly before starting your Virtual Assistant business, you must do research, research, and more research. Determine if this is what you really want to do. If it is, then go for it.

Highly Recommended, Comprehensive Resource:

The Five Key Steps to Your Successful Virtual Assistant Business  - This book covers everything from what are virtual assistants to services you can offer as a VA. It also goes into detail about starting, operating, and growing a profitable and successful virtual assistant business, pricing your services and more.