Many moms who wish to work at home are finding that they can become Virtual Assistants. Virtual Assistants (also known as VAs) provide a wide range of traditional office services from their own homes instead of working in a traditional nine-to-five office job. VAs normally charge anywhere from $10-$50 per hour, depending on the types of services they offer.

We recommend that you have some experience in office skills and a basic comfort level with computers, before developing your Virtual Assistant business plan. (If not, there are many tutorials online, and most community colleges offer business classes, too.) If you have a particular area of expertise, you may find a niche for a specific type of client that you enjoy working with. As with any business, you will have a small investment involved, such as a reliable computer and a home office, but the maintenance expenses of your business will be minimal.

Your Services: What are you good at? Deciding which talents you have will determine the services that you will offer your clients. Are you a typing whiz? Do you like solving customer problems over the phone? Are you a good networker? Can you make complicated travel arrangements seem easy? Do you like to coordinate special events? Do you have a good eye for design? Can you find your way through developing a web site? After you figure out which services suit you, you will be able to develop a plan of action.

Put Together a Business Plan: Before taking the next step of starting a Virtual Assistance business, you will want to write a business plan that includes an overview of your business, mission statement, marketing and financial plan. To help you put together your plan, decide which services to offer, etc., please review the link at the end of this article.

Your Home Office: You’ll want to separate yourself from the rest of the house as much as possible. A quiet area with ample space for a computer desk is ideal, but you can work with whatever you have available. If you want to keep your business separate from your home life, a designated telephone line will make that possible. Also plan to invest in other office equipment as the need arises.

Your Software Needs: The software you choose for your computer will depend on the services you intend to offer clients. Your budget will determine which software programs you can purchase, but be sure you are installing only reliable programs. Upgrading your computer and purchasing new software is something that you’ll be doing right along as your business grows. We suggest researching and networking with other VAs to get recommendations for the best software available.

Marketing Yourself Professionally: Having professionally-made address labels, business cards, and stationery is important to presenting yourself as a professional. You’ll also want a website or blog as a means to introducing yourself to the public and as a way to maintain contact with your clients. Be sure your website includes a list of the services you offer, your contact information, and, once you get established with a few clients, some testimonials. As a beginner, offering free services to certain clients will build rapport and your portfolio at the same time. You want your clients talking you up!

You can enjoy your new career and make good money in the process from home. Virtual Assistants are highly in demand in an uncertain economy. When a small business owner has the option of taking on the expense and commitment of a full-time employee verses opting for a Virtual Assistant as a consultant part-time, you can see why this opportunity is growing. Get started today.

Virtual Assistants are oftentimes moms, like you and me, who want to work from home. A Virtual Assistant (or VA) can offer clients any number of services from their home-based location, rather than being at a traditional office. VAs can earn a nice income, charging somewhere in the area of $10 to $30 per hour, with specialized or more technical services ranging around $50 per hour.

If you have basic computer skills, a general knowledge of how an office works, or even specific skills that business owners are looking for, you certainly will want to consider starting your very own Virtual Assistant business from home. Your start up costs will include a good computer and home office setting, but the ongoing business expenses are minimal. Here are some tips to help you get started.

Your Services: What are you good at? Deciding which talents you have will determine the services that you will offer your clients. Are you a typing whiz? Do you like solving customer problems over the phone? Are you a good networker? Can you make complicated travel arrangements seem easy? Do you like to coordinate special events? Do you have a good eye for design? Can you find your way through developing a web site? After you figure out which services suit you, you will be able to develop a plan of action.

Put Together a Business Plan: Before taking the next step of starting a Virtual Assistance business, you will want to write a business plan that includes an overview of your business, mission statement, marketing and financial plan. To help you put together your plan, decide which services to offer, etc., please review the link at the end of this article.

A Home Office That Suits Your Business: Many people have small home offices, but you’ll want to go beyond working from your laptop on the kitchen table. The home office used for your Virtual Assistant business should be quiet and comfortable — preferably with a door that you can close! Invest in a nice desk for your computer and printer when you can afford it. Consider a separate telephone line in your home office if you wish to keep client calls from being answered by family. Keep in mind that, as your client list expands, so will your business, so in the future you may want to include items like a scanner and additional storage for client information.

Choosing Your Software: You’ll also need to have all the software required to provide the services you’ve decided to offer. If you’re starting on a budget, at a minimum you need the software required to do the job well. You can always upgrade or get new software as warranted. Networking with other VAs is invaluable in finding out all the best resources for software and support.

Marketing Basics: You’ll need some basics like professional address labels, stationery, thank you notes, and business cards. You also can’t have a Virtual Assistant business without a website or blog. Design a professional-looking website that includes the services you offer and your complete contact information. Another way to get and keep clients is to offer some select clients a free service or two. Once you’ve successfully impressed your clients, ask them for a simple testimonial to post on your website. That will get your clients talking, and word-of-mouth from happy clients is the best marketing of all.

You can enjoy your new career and make good money in the process from home. Virtual Assistants are highly in demand in an uncertain economy. When a small business owner has the option of taking on the expense and commitment of a full-time employee verses opting for a Virtual Assistant as a consultant part-time, you can see why this opportunity is growing. Get started today.