Great Home Based Idea #1: Virtual Assistant
There are many home business options available to budding Mompreneur fraternity, and one very popular opportunity is to offer Virtual Assistant services to Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses.
With the widening use of remote services and outsourcing over the years, coupled with improved communications via broadband electronic services and telephony, many small businesses and individuals are making the most of Virtual Offices and Assistants. Virtual Assistants provide the type of administrative services that would normally be carried out by a Personal Assistant or Secretary, historically in the same office as the people being served. A variety of duties and tasks can be carried out on a retainer basis, or at an hourly rate, ranging from e-mail management and dealing with customer enquiries, to typing and mailing services.
Potential clients will be attracted to Virtual Assistant services by the obvious benefits to them. By retaining work on contract or by the hour, they absolve themselves of the costs inherent with full time employees. There are no taxes for them to pay on your behalf; they don’t need insurance for you to work on their premises, because you won’t be there. There are no retirement plans, sick pay or vacation pay to consider. Use these benefits as part of your sales strategy, and educate potential clients as to the numerous advantages of employing your services in favour of recruiting full time staff.
There are also many advantages to you for becoming a Virtual Assistant. As well as the many, well-documented benefits of home working (especially as a Mom), you can often plan your time better, as many of your duties can be performed as and when you wish. Many office tasks work to deadlines, and so long as you deliver on time, the tasks themselves can fit comfortably around your home life. In addition, the income benefits can be sizeable. Rates demanded by Virtual Assistants can be considerably more than would be received as a regular wage, as a full-time employee. On average, 8 hours of administrative work can bring a Virtual Assistant $280 under a retainer arrangement.
There can be a direct correlation between the amount of training and experience you gain as a Virtual Assistant against the number of clients you can attract, and the amount of money you can charge. As a Virtual Assistant (as with many other home-based businesses) you will need to sell yourself, and make yourself an attractive proposition to your target market. If you have previously worked as a Personal Assistant or Office Administrator in the business world, the experienced gained may well be enough to get you started. You will also find it beneficial, however, to keep up-to-date with the latest communications methods, and ensure your office equipment is sufficient.
The quality of service you offer to clients can also depend on the home office equipment you have available to you. Think about it; if you want to offer typing services, you will need a word processor and printer for starters. Assess what tasks and duties you will be performing for your target market, and equip your office accordingly. You can find more tips on fitting out your home office in our dedicated Home Working section.
Consider the types of small businesses that may require your services. Typically, they will be individual entrepreneurs or themselves home-based small business operators. In particular, consider the types of traders and service providers who spend a lot of time on the road, or visiting clients of their own. Diary management services for manual workers such as Plumbers and Property Developers can open you up to a very large market. By advertizing in the right trade publications and on related websites, you could find a steady stream of enquiries from potential clients. Don’t forget the golden (and free) way of driving new business to your door; word of mouth. Tell your friends and former colleagues about your new business, and maybe try out your former employers for work. Your familiarity with their industry and business operations will give you a head-start over any competition you may be up against.
On the face of it, Virtual Assistant services bring many benefits to Employers and Small Businesses as well as to the Assistant themselves. With the right level of experience and equipment, coupled with a great sales technique and networking ethic, you can drive a continued stream of clients to your door. As a home-based business, running a VA service can beat many other opportunities for flexibility and good income, to successful exponents.
Add a comment