Virtual Assistant: Your Perfect Home Business

Do you want to start a home business with the technology knowledge you have and/or do you possess good secretarial skills? If so being a Virtual assistant just might be the right home business for you.

Virtual assistants are independent entrepreneurs who work remotely and use technology to deliver services to clients globally doing various clerical and administrative tasks for individuals and companies. So you can work from your home offices and receive their project instructions by phone, fax, e-mail or even instant message. Although many virtual assistants offer secretarial services, as more people with diverse backgrounds and skills enter the this business, virtual assistants who specialize in such areas as marketing, graphic and Web design, IT support or even translations are becoming more common.

So why do these clients want the services of a Virtual Assistant? Clients are most likely to hire virtual assistants to save money-virtual assistants pay for their own equipment, taxes, training, healthcare and insurance-or because they need help with a temporary project. Industries most often hiring virtual assistants include the real estate, coaching, financial services, accounting and legal.

The online revolution has made this business possible. Essentially, you can do everything from your office that you might do at a worksite - except perhaps greet guests and make coffee! You would be your own boss and could have flexibility in scheduling and in choosing what kinds of work to accept.

What you need:
A computer with Internet access (preferably high-speed).
A business phone line (and some companies may want you to add a separate line to answer their calls).
A printer
A fax machine
Office space

Essential Skills
Successful virtual assistants are good at organizing, planning, scheduling, communication, writing, and dealing with people. Just like any good administrative assistant, your job would be to handle projects and tasks requested by the company or person who contracts your services. Your computer skills should be excellent and should include word processing, spreadsheets, databases, and of course emailing, instant messaging and internet navigation.

How to Start
As with any home-based business, check with your local government about business licensing requirements. Typically, your state or county officials can help you get up and running.

There are many certification programs available that may be helpful to you in establishing your credibility and getting clients. Examples include AssistU, IVAA and VACertification.com. These sites can also give you tips on running your virtual assistant business.

Here's how you can grow
Small businesses and individuals are good targets for your services. Entrepreneurs often do not have time to do many of the clerical tasks that must be done and need help. Examples are business start-ups, other home-based businesses, attorneys, independent real estate and insurance agents, and even writers and artists.

To market your virtual assistant business, you need a resume with good references. Prior administrative experience is definitely a plus. In fact, one of your first clients could be your former employer.

Make a list of all the things you could do - word processing, writing and mailing letters, setting appointments or keeping a schedule, maintaining databases, paying bills, making travel arrangements, setting up meetings or seminars, answering telephones, doing research, and so on. If you have prior experience in secretarial work you are a definite advantage. Inside knowledge of a specific industry will definitely help, too.

What to Charge
Rates vary for virtual assistants based on the industry you work in and your experience. The range is from $12 an hour and up, with $20 being fairly common, but some virtual assistants can make over $50 per hour. When setting your fees, remember that you have to pay your own Self-Employment Tax (social security), insurance and other "benefits".

You can charge by the project, or you can charge a "retainer" for a certain number of hours per week that would cover any projects your client assigned.

Read these too..

1 get money from google
2 Affiliate Marketing Tips To Success
3 karaoke songs for free
4 important tips to improve your website
5 Private Label Resale Rights vs. Creating Your Own
6 Site Content Writing for Keyword Density
7 Content Articles, Keywords, and Web Page Design
8 Content Article Marketing: Make the Most of It
9 Buy Website Content and Increase Your Website
10 Successful Businesses Begin With The Basics
11 Choosing The Right SEO Package
12 Create a User-Friendly Website
13 Role of Meta Title Tag in SEO
14 Thinking About SEO For A New Website
15 Website Designing Tips For Professional Websites
16 Tips for Search Engine Optimization For Websites
17 How To Monitor And Manage Search Engine Results
18 SEO is not an advertising model like PPC
19 The Power of Search Engine Marketing
20 Types Of Web Hosting Servers
21 Affiliate Marketing and Working From Home
22 Things to Consider When Choosing a SEO Firm
23 Create a Flash Template for a Photograghy website
24 How to Avoid Scams When Looking for a Home Business
25 Want To Buy A Business Opportunity?
26 What Types Of Jobs You Can Do To Work From Home
27 Emails On Mobile: Accessing Corporate Emails On Mobile
28 SEO and PPC - Mutual Partners
29 The Essentials of Search Engine Marketing
30 Search Engines or Web Directories
31 The Role of Meta Title Tag in Search Engine Optimition

Why Cleaning Spyware Speeds Up Your Computer
The Best Approach to Removing Spyware from your PC
Spyware Detection Explained
Is It Wise To Delete Spyware And Adware On Your Own?
How Adware Scanners Work
How Adware is Bad for Your Computer…and How to Get Rid of it Once and For All
How to Conduct a Comprehensive Spyware and Adware Scan
What's the Best Spyware Stopper?
3 Ways To Detect Spyware And Adware Without Special Software!
3 Reasons Why Spyware Scanners Are Better Than Normal Antivirus Software

Building Ecommerce Web Sites: Where Do I Start?
7 Steps Of Mega Adsense Earners
Ecommerce Hosting - How To Choose A Merchant Account
Inspiration of Professional Team Building
How to Stop Cold Calls from Feeling Intrusive
Best Home Based Business: Make a Decision
OsCommerce Performance Module
How to Build Great Relationships through Cold Call
Turn Your Site Upside Down in 6 Steps
How does PrinterAnywhere Software work?

Create a great site, create your online presence

Your Headline Is The Most Important Thing In All Your Advertising

Web Traffic Exchanges Helped Launch My Prosperous

Virtual Assistant: Your Perfect Home Business

Buying A Keyword Research Tool - Ask Before You Buying

Probloggers and Blogging Jobs: The Next Boom for Job hunters

Keyword Elite Review - How Good Is It?

Essential Church Website Design Tips

How to Build An Internet Home Based Business

How To Get 1 Million Visitors Without Paying A Dime in advertising