Hi, I’m Bethany, Co-Founder of the v.a. chicks. I have been an empowered entrepreneur working from home as a virtual assistant extraordinaire since 2008.
How did I get from a snowy small town in Canada to living my dream on the Space Coast of Florida?
I’m going to let you in on a little secret. I have a superpower. No, I can’t leap tall buildings in a single bound, or fly, or move things with my mind. It would be “super” cool if I could. But I have another power that I’ve learned can be just as cool. The supercool superpower I possess is…Resourcefulness.
And, it’s this spirit of resourcefulness that’s empowered me to build my dream business, live in one of the best places on the planet, and truly strive every day to live a life that brings me and those around me joy.
While I may have become a virtual assistant in 2008, the journey leading up to the moment I went virtual was key. It was on that journey that I picked up many of the skills like resourcefulness that fuel my business today. And it was on that journey that I learned to use, test, and grow my superpower.
Please join me as I share with you my origin story and the lessons that my superpower of resourcefulness have taught me.
Lesson #1: Nothing comes without hard work.
As the youngest of 6 kids, I learned this at a young age. If I wanted something, I had to speak up, and I had to be willing to put in the hard work to get it. Sure, there were certain advantages to being the baby, but I realized very quickly that no one was going to just hand me anything in life.
In our house we were expected to work hard. And we got to experience the joy you get when your hard work pays off and you get to see the results.
Lesson #2: Dream big.
A pivotal moment in my journey was when I packed up at 18 year old, left my small town in Canada, hopped on a train in Shelby MT, and moved all by myself to Chicago. I can still remember what it felt like to get on at a train station the size of a small house… and get off at Union Station, Chicago… the sounds of the city coming to life was like a metaphor of my dreams.
Ever since I was little, I dreamed of something more. It will come as no secret that I’m a huge fan of Disney. In 1991 my parents took us on the most amazing vacation to Walt Disney World in Florida…. and I said to myself “this is the best place on earth! I just have to live here someday.”
But I remembered my parents taught me that you can’t just talk about doing things, you have to put the hard work in to make it happen. So, I got to work. And I found an internship in Chicago straight out of high school. And I set out to change my world.
Lesson #3: Be a problem solver.
That first year here, I volunteered in exchange for free room and board. And I had little side jobs that earned me a total of $50/week. And I worked hard. And I got noticed. And I got offered new roles and opportunities.
Over the years I worked in a variety of industries in a variety of roles. And one thing was always true. I was the person on the team who was the go-to. You know the person can seem to solve any problem. The copier machine is jammed again? No problem.
You need a last-minute reservation at an impossible to book 5-star hotel? I’m on it.
If there was ever a special projects team formed, I was selected for it. Because I set out to solve problems.
Lesson #4: You have to believe in you – and then just go for it!
I mentioned earlier that 2008 was the year I became a virtual assistant… it’s also the year I became a mom. And actually, it was motherhood that compelled me to find a career from home. So, I bravely quit my day job, and got a client to hire me to manage their online business. I was a virtual assistant before I even knew what one was.
I went on to work for one of the largest virtual assistant agencies out there. Within the first 6 months I was awarded employee of the year and promoted to Assistant Manager.
Since then, I’ve branched out as an independent VA and I’m now paying it forward with my bestie turned business partner. We started the v.a. chicks to empower other women to discover what superpower they already possess that can supercharge their dreams, their VA business and their income.
In the fall of 2019, I dreamed big once more. Empowered once again by my virtual business and my superpower of resourcefulness, I was able to move my family cross-country where I now live just one hour from the most magical place on earth.
Are you ready to dream big and work hard?
Take this 60-second quiz now to discover your virtual superpower and all the tips and tricks you need to succeed as an in-demand virtual assistant: www.virtualsuperpower.com
You can use your current skills to become an in-demand virtual assistant.
Whether your background is in retail, banking, professional or home services, restaurants, or…really ANYTHING…
You already have some of the most in-demand skills clients are looking for!
These are referred to as “soft skills” which are a combination of your communication skills, basic computer aptitude, leadership traits, etc.
Over our careers, we’ve hired hundreds of VA’s and worked with thousands of clients. In every VA hire and VA-client matching, one thing was always true…
The best VA’s and the best partnerships were with VA’s who had strong soft skills!
Technical expertise is also important, but if you have solid soft skills, you can learn on-the-job.
Here are the Top 5 skills you already have:
1. Communication:
Communication is key when working as a VA. And, the more you can translate your offline communication skills to how they benefit an online business – the better!
Clients want VA’s who: have strong writing skills, customer service experience, have a background in public speaking. They are also looking for people with call center experience, tech support backgrounds and people who can connect with other people and customers.
Highlight things like: communication on Zoom, Skype and Instant Messaging programs, email management, etc. Be sure to list any additional languages you may speak!
Show potential clients your communication strengths by: following all of their directions during the hiring process and writing and sending a professional job application. Don’t forget to follow up to continue to express your interest. And, send a thank you after every client discovery call.
2. Resourcefulness:
This is a biggie. All clients are busy, that’s why they hire virtual assistants. One of your main jobs is to help clients save time, that’s why resourcefulness is so important.
Clients want VA’s who: can find solutions to problems and pay attention to details and can be a resource for them!
Highlight skills like: research experience, how you solved a problem at a previous job, ideas you generated that improved a company you worked for, etc.
Show potential clients your resourcefulness strengths by: paying attention to details when applying for jobs. You can also stand out by sharing specific ways you can improve their business.
3. Creativity:
No matter what clients you work with or VA services you offer, you’ll need to flex that creativity muscle. And, no you don’t have to be a graphic designer or artist to be creative!
Clients are looking for VA’s who: can take a project and add value to it, who can brainstorm new ideas, and yes, take their existing business and create a cohesive web presence.
Highlight skills like: how you took a work project and improved it, any image or website design skills you have, creative writing skills (copywriting, blogs, etc).
Show potential clients your creativity strengths by: sending a unique application when applying for a job (think video resume!), sending samples of past design projects you’ve created. Be sure to share any ideas you have to help them improve their online presence!
4. Organization
All clients need help organizing their business, that’s where you come in. If you’re a strong organizer, you’ll LOVE being a VA!
Clients are looking for VA’s who: can organize their files and folders, make sense of their email inbox, take a project and break it down into smaller pieces, manage their schedules, and more.
Highlight skills like: any experience you have in scheduling, project management skills, experience with task management systems, how you organize your calendar, etc.
Show potential clients your organizational strengths by: sending them a calendar appointment for any scheduled interview calls, asking potential clients when you can check back with them, and, sharing exactly how you can help organize their business and streamline their operations.
5. Basic Computer Skills
You had to know this one was coming, lol. All virtual assistants need basic computer skills. You’re working from home with online businesses, so it’s pretty important. But, you don’t have to be an EXPERT.
Clients are looking for VA’s who: can use programs like Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Google Docs, Dropbox, Email, Skype, Zoom, and have basic social media skills.
Highlight skills like: your experience in these and other online programs you’ve worked with. Don’t forget about software programs you used that were specific to a particular business or industry – this counts! It shows you have a basic understanding and can learn other new technical skills.
Show potential clients your basic computer skills by: highlighting these on your job applications, scheduling a video call and suggesting programs you’ve used that may help their business.
Your Next Steps:
Reflect on the skills listed above. Then, update you resume and/or VA portfolio to really highlight your strengths in these areas.
Soft skills are often the hardest to teach. So, if you can shine a light on your experience in these areas, you’ll be certain to soar above the rest!
Take this 60-second quiz now to discover your virtual superpower and all the tips and tricks you need to succeed: www.virtualsuperpower.com
Having the right tools for virtual assistants implemented in your biz, and knowing how to use them is important for any in-demand virtual assistant. And yet, we often spend so much time learning, implementing, and managing tools for our clients’ businesses, that we forget to invest the same amount of effort finding the best tools for our own biz.
So where do you start? How do you know what tools you should use in your biz?
Like anything else, we recommend you start with the essentials.
What are the essential tools for virtual assistants?
In-Demand virtual assistants understand that taking the time to set up a good system in the beginning can save so much time, frustration, and money in the long run. And, any good system, includes having the right tools.
Here are some of the essential tools for virtual assistants that help you get clients and stay in-demand:
Use a Project Management System
Staying organized is essential for every in-demand virtual assistant. Your clients expect you to keep track of all of the details and never miss a deadline. And, they should. And using a good project management system is essential to meet that expectation.
Many virtual assistants use project management systems in their clients businesses, but they don’t take the time to set up a system to manage non-client specific tasks such as marketing, sales, or billing.
A project management system will help you remember to do those important little tasks like following up with your potential client when you promised. So you can overdeliver on your promises to keep your clients happy and your business growing.
Some of the things we like to track in our project management system are our blog content schedule, social content creation, and tasks for any upcoming launches or events. Our favorite project management tool is AirTable.
Pro-Tip: Most project management systems offer a free version or trial so you can check them out and see if they work for you. So try out a few different tools before choosing the right one for your biz. The knowledge and experience you gain while testing out these tools will also be useful when you’re helping your clients find or create a project management system for their business.
Time Tracking Tools
Whether you’re working on an hourly, retainer, or commission basis with your clients, it’s essential that you track the time you spend on each client. This will ensure you’re getting paid for the time you’re investing in their business.
Don’t forget to include and bill for things like client calls, reading and responding to client emails, and client updates. And, for your project or retainer clients, be sure to include an hours report in your regular updates. This will help keep your clients in the loop so there are no surprises at billing or when hours run out.
We recommend using a time tracking tool such as Paymo. There are tons of great options out there.
Billing System Tools
In order to get paid, you have to have a way to bill (and accept payment from) your clients. You can start out with a more manual system like creating the invoice in Microsoft Word, sending the invoice by email, following up on outstanding invoices by email/phone, and accepting payment by Paypal.
Or, you can use a payment processor to accept credit card payments, and set up an automated billing and reminder system. Which system you choose, will depend on your business needs and the funds you have available to invest in premium tools.
You’ll also need to track your income and expenses for tax purposes, budgeting, revenue forecasting, and goal setting.
Some of the tools you’ll need to set up a solid billing system are a payment processor (like Stripe), a financial management tool, an invoicing/billing tool, and a client relationship management (CRM) tool for automated communications.
If you’re just getting started as a virtual assistant, or if you’re a bit more experienced and are just looking for some new tools, we’ve got you covered.
The 21 Best Tools for Virtual Assistants
Once you have the essential tools for virtual assistants implemented in your biz, it’s time to really take your your biz (and sales) to the next level. Some of the other tools that in-demand virtual assistants use are social media scheduling, document collaboration, image design, calendaring, and spelling/grammar checkers. With so many tools for virtual assistants available, it can be a bit overwhelming knowing which tools to choose.
With over a decade of experience as virtual assistants, we’ve tried hundreds of tools and found some we really LOVED, and others that really fell flat. Now we’re sharing the secret scoop on the very best tools for virtual assistants that you should get for your biz right now!!!
Virtual assistant training is often a bit of a DIY project. As there’s no “Bachelor of Being an Awesome V.A.” degree, we’re left to fend for ourselves in vast world of online business. It’s true that there’s no shortage of resources out there to help you advance your skills. But, with so much information and ever changing technology, you may not know where to even begin.
Great news! You already took the first step. You made the decisions create a future where you’re in control by becoming a virtual assistant.
We remember when we got started a little over 12 years ago and it was the BEST decision we ever made. Our journey brought us to creating the v.a. chicks and we can’t wait to see where your journey takes you!
But, it really ruffles our feathers when we think about how long it took us to get started and build our skills. That’s why our mission is to give back what we learned and share virtual assistant training and guidance with awesome chicks like you so you can make your dreams a reality too.
You see, we believe the best and most successful virtual assistants are those that keep up-to-date on the latest technology and digital marketing skills, take ownership and work with clients to not only get stuff done, but to truly add value to their businesses. Now that’s a v.a. chick and also why…
Virtual Assistant Training is KEY to YOUR SUCCESS!
Virtual Assistant Training: Start Here!
What’s stopping you from starting today? Absolutely nothing. Keep reading to check another thing off your “making my dreams a reality” to-do list.
Here’s where to focus first!
Take this 60-second quiz now to discover your virtual superpower and all the tips and tricks you need to succeed: www.virtualsuperpower.com
Spend a bit of time learning the basics of digital marketing. Potential clients will LOVE that you know it, you need to understand it for just about any service you plan to offer AND… you can use those skills to market your own biz too!
Virtual Assistant Training: The Basics
Task Management: No matter the service you offer, you’ll need a way to track tasks. Some clients may have a system they use already, while others will look to you for suggestions. We recommend learning Trello, Asana and Teamwork.
General Admin Skills: You’ll need to have a few admin tricks up your sleeve too. We recommend learning how to use Google Docs, DropBox, Microsoft Office products, basic photo and video editing, and basic accounting skills.
Personal Growth: You’ll also need to evaluate your personal skills and build-up whatever you may not be an expert at yet. Things like: selling your services, being proactive, organization, communicating well in writing, over the phone and on video calls, proofreading, etc.
Virtual Assistant Training: Specialize
Now that you have your foundation, it’s time to get serious about Virtual Assistant training. Before you do anything else, think about the exact services you plan to offer. Will you be doing social media, email marketing, websites, sales pages, etc. Once you know that, you can decide exactly which skills you need to learn.
For example, if you’ve decided to offer email marketing services:
You’ll need to know at least 2-3 of the most common email marketing systems. Start with Convertkit, Mailchimp, and one other (Drip, Infusionsoft, Kartra, etc). Learn the basics like designing and scheduling emails, creating opt-in forms and go from there. Most systems allow you to set-up test accounts without playing so you can practice!
You’ll Be Flying High!
It sounds like a lot, but you don’t have to do it all at one time. Plan to devote 5 hours a week on your training and you’ll be amazed what a BIG difference it makes. You have the time.
You can do it the hard way and learn as you go, but it’ll take you longer, create a ton of unnecessary stress, and will end up costing you a lot of wasted time AND money.
If you’re really serious about becoming a v.a., then quality virtual assistant training is the best investment you can make in your business and yourself.
Take the 60-Second quiz to Discover Your Virtual Superpower and get started today: www.virtualsuperpower.com
As a Virtual Assistant, pricing your services can be tough.
Every day we get an email, or 10, with the same question. They usually ask some form of “How much should a virtual assistant charge?”
But this is not a simple question to answer. Because Virtual Assistant pricing usually ranges from $10-$150/hour. So it can be overwhelming to pin-point where you fall on the virtual assistant pricing scale when there is such a wide range.
Pricing is all over the place in the virtual world because it depends on the exact services you plan to offer as well as your experience level. The average virtual assistant who provides general administrative services can make anywhere from $25-$50+/hour.
Virtual Assistant Pricing: Sample Prices
We spoke to over 1,000 business-owners who have a virtual assistant as part of their team. These are the averages rates they are paying based on the services offered.
General Admin & VA Support: $25-$50/hour
This is the pricing range for virtual assistants who provide general administrative and virtual assistant services. This includes things like social media scheduling, customer service, research, and scheduling emails using a system like Mailchimp. It may also include writing and posting basic blogs, or creating simple graphics for social media using a tool like Canva, etc.
Special Skills: $30/hour-$50/hour
This is the pricing range for more advanced Virtual Assistants who provide special skills. This includes services like working with membership sites or updating website content. Or things like creating sales/opt-in pages using software like LeadPages or ClickFunnels or setting up marketing campaigns in software like Infusionsoft, Kartra or Ontraport, etc.
Professional Skills: $50/hour+
This is typically the pricing range for a more experienced VA, Online Business Manager, Digital Marketer etc. This includes things like creating and designing sales/opt-in pages using more advanced systems and marketing techniques and writing strategic sales copy. Or providing online marketing or social media strategy, graphic design, website design, or any skills you are certified in, etc.
Virtual Assistant Pricing: Bottom Line
If you are brand-new to the VA industry with very little technical expertise, then you may want to consider offering a launch special. We usually recommend initially discounting your rate by about 20%. But, only do this until you have a solid skill-set and at least 2 client referrals.
But, be sure when you’re quoting your rates that you make your clients aware that this is special pricing. Then your clients or potential clients won’t be surprised later when your virtual assistant pricing increases.
You don’t need to offer a discount if you have solid transferable experience and expertise in the services you’ll be offering – even if this is your first time as a VA.
For example, if you have worked as a travel agent and plan to be a VA making travel arrangements for business professionals, then no discount is needed. Simply gather referrals and testimonials from people who can back-up your expertise and you’re all set.
In general, we recommend NEVER discounting once you’ve set you’re price.
Virtual Assistant Pricing: Other Considerations
Here is something else to keep in mind. You will have business expenses and tasks you need to do for your own business. And, you’ll also need to spend time keeping your skills sharp with industry training. But, you can’t bill anyone for any of this time. So it’s important to factor in your own time when setting your virtual assistant pricing that you’ll charge your clients.
So if you’re just getting started and offering general virtual assistant services, then $25/hour would be a great starting rate.
If you are ready to set your pricing, then we have a great tool to help!
Our “Your Way to 50K” pricing worksheet is just what you need. With this easy-to-use tool simply set your annual salary goal, fill in the blanks, and it will automatically calculate what you should be charging per hour. We do all of the math for you!!!
Get your copy of the v.a. chicks “Your Way to 50K” pricing worksheet, as well as learn how to package your services, brand your business, find and sell to your ideal customers and so much more in the v.a. chicks Virtual Academy.
The question that we get asked by virtual assistants the most is, “How do I attract more clients?” In order for clients to hand over their hard earned money to you, you need to build their confidence that you’re the right chick for the job. So many virtual assistants work so hard to earn a clients business and never understand why they choose to work with someone else.
We’ve got you covered. Let’s explore some of the extra little things you can do to attract more clients.
1) First Impressions Matter
Your clients are looking for a virtual assistant that will solve problems, not create more. And most have learned that the proof is in the details. So, make sure that you’re following directions and using spell check before you send any emails.
I saw a post a few weeks back in an Entrepreneurial Facebook group. The woman shared how she had interviewed her dream V.A. She made the choice to work with her and emailed to begin making arrangements. The initial replies from the virtual assistant were so riddled with spelling mistakes (she even misspelled the client’s name) that she opted NOT to hire the otherwise ideal virtual assistant.
2) Show Reliability
Your communication and follow-up BEFORE you land the client is key. If the client says “I’ll be making a decision by Monday”, be sure to follow up with them on Tuesday if you do not hear from them. If they request you send additional references, writing samples, or portfolio, be sure to send that within 24 hours.
3) Build Connection
When you reach out to the client, do your research first and try to find something in common. Don’t be a creepy super stalker, but a quick look at her blog or Facebook could reveal lots of possible connection points. Have they recently taken a vacation to one of your favorite spots? Did they post about watching Game of Thrones? These are all things you could drop into the conversation (either by email or on a call). This will help them remember you for more than just your resume.
Another way to build the connection is to ALWAYS send a thank you after your call with the client – and make sure to further build your relationship by adding something personal if possible.
For example, if client says “Sorry I’m running a bit behind because I have a sick kiddo at home,” in your thank you email you can say “I hope Johnny feels better soon!!”
Learn how to Attract More Clients
The experienced virtual assistants will tell you that anyone can learn a new tool, method, or software. But the best virtual assistants know how to attract and keep their ideal clients.
