Being a virtual assistant is becoming more common, and with growing technology, it’s also easier to make a living. If working online is the goal, and being a virtual assistant is the desired profession, there are many tips to take into consideration when applying for new jobs. It’s essential to learn what the job entails, how to make money, and how to keep clients happy. In addition to providing some tips on how to become a virtual assistant, we also divulge how to build a business and succeed during our free webinar training. Ready to learn how to score some incredible jobs? Here are some of the skills you need to succeed:
For starters, Medium explains what virtual assistants do and how to go about becoming one below.
While to some it may seem like a simple question, there are many remote workers who haven’t quite yet wrapped their brains around what exactly a virtual assistant is and what exactly a virtual assistant does.
Virtual assistants can be difficult to define because their range of work can be so large and varying depending on the person and the company hiring the virtual assistant. However, on the most basic level, a virtual assistant is somebody who is hired to work remotely for another person (or company) to complete specific, assigned tasks. Generally, virtual assistants aren’t in a role where they’re making decisions for a company, but rather, are completing work that is handed down from the remote employer.
As far as what that work is, as we stated earlier, it can be quite different depending on the person. Virtual assistants can be producing writing for a person or company, they can be doing social media management, they can be scheduling appointments, they can be handling customer service emails and calls, or any number of things.
Broaden your skills
When you begin applying for jobs (and after), Medium recommends always improving your skillset. Clients love it when you work on improving your skills and, when you look for new clients, they’ll be impressed when you tell them all about what you’ve learned and are continuing to learn. Basically, the more skills you have, the better.
We covered this earlier in the article: virtual assistants can do just about anything while on the job if they have the skills. Because of this, investing in courses and practice for learning new skills can be extremely fruitful for virtual assistants.
Along with all the aforementioned tasks, virtual assistants can be assets when it comes to SEO techniques, logo design, app programming, bookkeeping, accounting, video editing, podcasting, ghostwriting, and just about every other skill on the planet.
Simply put, the more you know, the more clients you’ll get.
Manage your time
Being able to manage your time effectively is essential in the freelance world because otherwise, it’s hard to make a living! That’s why My Tasker recommends figuring out a way to keep track of your time and create a schedule.
The concept of multi-tasking is gaining a lot of importance nowadays, probably because it is now common for all the successful organizations to work on multiple projects.
So, be prepared to have 4-5 tasks on a single day and you have to manage them all.
Sounds scary, right?
Actually, you can perform more tasks within a set time frame if you know how to be a virtual assistant with a good knowledge of time management.
Remember that having multiple tasks does not mean doing them all at a time. You would only end up in a mess!
It is proven that human mind works best when it concentrates on a single thing.
All you need to do is to schedule your tasks so that you know how much time you have for each task.
You can also take the help of some very helpful software, such as Google Calendar, to have an effective schedule.
Just work with precision and management and stay ahead of your time!
Be willing to grow with a company
Inc. mentions being willing to grow with a company will take you far as a virtual assistant. If you’re a virtual assistant and the company you’re working with wants you to take on new roles, don’t be afraid to learn the skills (as we mentioned above), and show them you’re willing to work hard.
You may start a VA with tasks like data entry, managing your email inbox or making travel arrangements, but as they succeed in those tasks, they may be ready to take on more responsibility. This is a great way to test-drive support staff and identify people who can develop into key players for your business.
Go the extra mile
When you start looking for work are you willing to go the extra mile? Similar to improving your skill set and being ready to expand your skills, Life Set Go also recommends being willing to go the extra mile for your client. Go above and beyond, and they will be impressed with your dedication and consistency.
Think of the last time you had a great customer. So good, in fact, that you complimented the person providing the service and/or told friends or family members about it. This kind of reaction is rare because the kind of service that illicit it is rare, but when it happens, it is very memorable. Usually, it means that a person or company went out of their way to make you happy, give you the best deal, and make you feel important to them. They far exceeded your expectations and possibly even put up with your anger or bad attitude throughout the process like angels. This is the type of service you always want to keep in mind when dealing with your own clients. While you never have to take blatant abuse from someone, you should always work to put yourself in their shoes, understand what they want and why, or why they may be upset, and what you can do to provide top-notch service to make them love you.
Have a plan
Deciding to become a virtual assistant is exciting, but it’s vital to have a plan. If you don’t have a plan, then things may not go as you had hoped. Not everything is going to go perfectly, but Life Set Go states that if you want things to go more smoothly, it’s in your best interest to have a plan in place.
In this article, several options and ideas have been presented for how to successfully build a virtual assistant career. Some of the most successful assistants will do all of these things, but some will either choose not to or will not be able to when they get started. For example, what if you don’t have an extra room to turn into an office? This is why you should develop a tentative plan at the very beginning of you career. Create a 1 – 2 year plan, and decide things like:
When will you work? How many hours per week?
Where will you work? How will you set up and add to your office or desk as you go?
Will you begin working with a company or simply freelance?
How will you secure health and business insurance when you need to?
Who will do your taxes?
As you begin to write (or type) this plan, you will most likely come up with other questions that should be answered before you even take on your first client. Cover all your bases to ensure everyone has the best experience possible.
Effectively communicate
As you begin working My Tasker urges you to communicate with your clients effectively. Sometimes it’s challenging to do the work unless you communicate well with clients and ask them questions about tasks that you may or may not understand.
One effective way to understand clients is to build proper communicative channels.
Moreover, your career as the virtual assistant would provide you with the opportunity of learning the essentials of business communication.
For example, you would observe differences in the usage of language and instructions from the clients of two different regions or countries.
Once you decode their language, it becomes easy for you to proceed with the work and complete it successfully.
Having satisfied clients suggests good client management which, in turn, ensures future work flow.
Consider the following while dealing with clients:
Take time to interpret what they want to say
Clarify doubts and queries related to tasks but avoid being repetitive
Enhance your communication skills, both speaking and writing
Ask for feedback on a daily basis
Take criticism positively
Try to show promptness in communication
Becoming a successful virtual assistant is exciting, and we’re here to help you learn the best ways to set up a business and make money online. Join us for our next free webinar training and find out how you can run a successful and profitable business online!
Sources: Forbes, Medium, Inc., Life Set Go, My Tasker
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