Marketing Strategy Planning for your Virtual Assistant BusinessMarketing Strategy Planning for your Virtual Assistant Businessis vital in putting your business on the map.Have you ever wondered why some VAs struggle with marketing, spend hours at it, but just dont reap the benefits of their efforts; while others do exactly the same marketing and have huge successes?What possibly can be the difference?Well, there might be many reasons, but having the correct focus and effective marketing strategies that are tailor-made for your situation, might just be the answer.Below we will show you the basics of developing a marketing strategy for small business, that WORKS!But first, lets start at the beginning.What is Marketing Strategy PlanningMarketing strategy planning is a process that allows you to focus your limited resources on the best opportunities to increase your sales and thereby achieving a sustainable competitive advantage in your specific niche.It is the way to make sure youre getting the maximum impact from your limited marketing budget and time.Your marketing strategy is always build on your business goals, and provides the foundation for your marketing plan (the detailed marketing activities that you will do) .Thus your marketing strategy planning will direct all your marketing activities.Marketing Strategy Planning in 8 Easy Steps

1. Evaluate your Current SituationEvaluate your current situation critically and determine if there are any problems that need to be solved and/or if there are any opportunities that you would like to explore?Some examples are your income is declining your income arent growing as fast as you would like you have just lost some key accounts to competitors you want to expand your services into a new client base you think there is a market for a new service you wish you could get through to more customers on just how good your services are2. Address the Issues / Opportunities that Arise to Grow your BusinessAfter careful evaluation of your current situation decide on the best strategy to address the situation to grow your business.It can be done through any of the following strategies.

A: Current service to current market (Market Penetration): It is a strategy to increase your share of your existing markets. You might achieve this by raising the awareness among your current customers of your services or finding new customers.B: Current service to new market (Market Development): It is a strategy of finding and entering new markets with your current service range. The new market could be a new region/country or a new segment of the market.For example: Youve been doing database management for financial advisors in your home town only. Youve realised that financial advisors all over South Africa have the same need and you want to reach them as well; or youve realised that business coaches in SA has a need for somebody to maintain their databases and you want to tap into that new market segment.C: New service to current market (Service/Product Development):It is a strategy for enhancing the benefits you delivers to your clients by improving your existing services or developing new ones.For Example: You deliver the services of database management to a number of clients. You now want to expand your services to also do cold calling for these clients to help them reach the people on their database on a more frequent basis.D: New service to a new market (Diversification):It is a strategy that usually carries higher costs and higher risks. It often requires you to adopt new ways of doing business.For example: Youve been doing only administrative tasks for clients. Now you want to start doing web design and search engine optimisation for new VAs entering the industry.Diversification can sometimes be an effective business strategy, but needs good planning and some caution. It is usually a strategy to adopt when the other options are not feasible.3. Understand Your CustomerSuccessful marketing strategy planning is based on a clear picture of your target customer Who they are and what they need.To understand your customer, use the tips as explained underwhat is a target marketandhow to identify a target marketto gain some insight into your customers profile and to identify the issues that might keep them awake at night.How can your services be of benefit to them?4. Analyze the CompetitionAsk yourself what other choices your target customers have to address their administrative needs.Your main competitors will most probably be other VAs with services that are very similar to yours. But it can also be other companies/and or persons, for example in-house secretaries, temporary staffing companies etc. that can also address the needs of your target customer.Evaluate and assess the strengths and weaknesses of each of these competitors when doing your marketing strategy planning.5. Create your Unique Selling PropositionNow, consider the ways in which your service is better than those supplied by your competition at solving the needs of your target customer. This is your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)Use your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) as a short, but strong message to your target market to entice them in making use of your services6. Define Your Marketing MixAt this stage, your marketing strategy planning helped you to determine how to grow your business; determined your target market and their needs, analysed your competition and developed a Unique Selling Proposition.Now it is time to develop your Marketing Mix the unique variables that you have control over to satisfy the needs of your target market. The marketing mix is also called the4Psof marketing and consists ofProduct: (your VA Services): The right services for your target marketPrice: The right price for your services. Take in consideration pricing strategies of your competition, your expenses and your desired profitPromotion: How you will tell your target customer about your servicesPlace: How you will deliver your services to your target customer. E.g. will you perform all the services yourself, or will you outsource some services to other VAs.7. Keep an Eye on Your BudgetEvaluate how much you will be able to spend on marketing your services on a monthly basis8. Review and ReviseContinuously evaluate the effectiveness of your marketing strategy, and revise or extend as needed.Develop your Marketing PlanThe difference between a marketing strategy and a marketing plan is:YourMarketing Strategyis a summary of your businesses services and position in relation to your competition; YourMarketing Planis the specific actions youre going to undertake to achieve the goals of your marketing strategy.Marketing Strategiesprovide the goals for your marketing plans. It tells you where you want to go from here.YourMarketing Planis the specific roadmap thats going to get you there.Thus, your marketing plan flows directly from your marketing strategy and in effect, you cant have a marketing plan without a marketing strategy.How to Identify Target Markets for your Virtual Assistant BusinessPut your Business and Your Clients under a Magnifying GlassIdentify target markets for your virtual assistant business in a few easy steps and enhance your marketability with a good niche market strategy. The easiest way to finding niche markets is to start close to home.Start with yourself assess your own interests, work style, and personalityand then expand it step by step to include your ideal clients and their needs.Ask yourself some basic questions such as these below to help identify target markets for your business: What am I good at What do I enjoy doing What passions do I have that I havent explored yet What do I hate/dislike doing What of my current services are not profitableWhat services are not requested often enough to keep them on my service listBy answering these questions, patterns might arise that can offer some clues about the services to focus on for a selected market niche. Concentrate on the services that you enjoy and that are profitable and cut the ones that you dislike and/or do not provide enough profit.Now, take a look at your ideal clientsand answer the following questions Which existing clients do I enjoy working with Why What are the characteristics of my ideal client In which industries do they workAnswering these questions probably brought you a step closer to providing the services that you enjoy most to the clients that you enjoy working with.Unfortunately, it doesnt stop there. It is also important tounderstand what benefits your services have to these clients. List these benefits, but make sure to list benefits and not only features.Afeatureis what something is.Abenefitis what it does.For example:You can compile and maintain databases fast and accurately (thats the feature). The database however, put all the businesss key information in one place, makes it easily accessible, and easy to update (thats the benefit).Understanding this difference is important because people do not make use of your service to get a feature. They use your services to get the benefit produced by the feature.After listing all the benefits, list some of the clients whose current situation could be improved by those benefits. You should begin to see a definable group emerging as a niche market.It is however also important todetermine if the group youve identified as a niche market is a profitable market. This can be determined if youre able to identify a few individual clients within the group and can find contact information to communicate with them determine if these clients have a need for making use of your services deliver a sales message to these clients ensure this group is large enough to produce the volume of business you needIf youre able to do these few steps, you are on the right tract to identify target markets for your virtual assistant business.VA Niche MarketsVirtual Assistant niche markets can primarily be divided into industries and/or services. Your niche market can be a particular industry and you can build your skills for that industry and/or it might be clients who need a specific skill set.Examples of some niche areas can include, but are not limited to Corporate Travel Arrangements Event Management Desktop Publishing Database Design and Maintenance Website Design and Maintenance Translations Transcriptions (Medical, Legal, Other) Real Estate and many otherTo identify target markets that work for your specific situation is based on an approach offreedom of choice. You can determine what market you feel comfortable with a target market based on an industry, a market based on skills or both.Choose a target market that fits your specific situation.Virtual Assistant ServicesBusiness Owners,Concentrate on What You Do Best Let a Virtual Assistant Take Care of the RestThere are endless Virtual Assistant services for VAs to specialise in and countless virtual assistant job opportunities where these services can benefit entrepreneurs and SMMEs.The idea of contracting a VA sounds promising on paper, butwhatVirtual Assistant jobs can be outsourced andwhatservices do VAs actually provide to entrepreneurs and business owners especially if they reside nowhere near their VA?Well, there are countless possibilities for entrepreneurs and SMMEs to give a virtual assistant jobs to perform on their behalf. Basically any task that take that is non-core to a business and that can be done from a remote location can be outsourced to a VA. It only depend on the scale of the clients business and the tasks they want to delegate.Below are a few areas with examples of Virtual Assistants niche areas. The list is by no means exhaustive, but will give a fairly good idea of the vast array of Virtual Assistant services available.A major challenge however for any entrepreneur who wants to make use of a virtual assistant is to first make a mind-shift change from having an assistant/employee waiting in the office, to giving a virtual assistant jobs to perform when they are situated in another location.This in itself, will require good planning and a willingness to delegate. However, the moment that entrepreneurs can overcome this initial hump in their thinking processes, working with a VA can open up limitless possibilities.Virtual Administrative AssistantVirtual Administrative Assistants are by far the most common VA niche.They provide basic to advanced administrative support to clients. The support is based on previous experience as administrative personnel, secretaries, personal assistants and/or executive assistants.Administrative Virtual Assistants can specialise in a specific area, but most can perform a wide array of the administration tasks that are outlined below. It is however advisable to discuss specific details of any request with the VA to ensure they are proficient in delivering the service.Who can Benefit from these Services Small and medium enterprises Solo-preneurs Any person who needs administrative supportServices Provided by Virtual Administrative AssistantsThese services include but are not limited to the following examples.General AdministrationDiary / Calender ManagementAppointment and Meeting SchedulingE-Mail / Voice Mail ManagementOutlook distribution listsReminder ServicesFaxingDocument ScanningE-filingBulk MailingsAnnouncementsCustomer Service and Follow-upForms DesignTravel ArrangementsInternet ResearchHoliday and Birthday CardsData Entry and Database ManagementData Entry servicesDatabase creation and managementSpreadsheet design and maintenanceMySQL design and maintenanceData processingData verificationWord ProcessingComposing / Typing of LettersGeneral CorrespondenceCopywritingEditing / ProofreadingMail MergeMailing Labels / EnvelopesWriting Proposals / BidsFile / PDF conversionsImport / export dataPowerPoint PresentationsPreparing overhead transparenciesPreparing handouts and speaker notesTranscriptionDesktop PublishingCreate publication documents such as:NewslettersBrochuresPostcardsFlyersPamphletsBusiness CardsCataloguesBusiness StationeryRestaurant MenusInvitationsCalendarsCertificatesAccount Management ServicesInventory ManagementAccount or Vendor OrganizationOrder TakingContact ManagementCustomer follow-up / After sale servicesInvoicingReportsShipment ManagementThird Party CommunicationTender / Proposal DocumentationLead ManagementCold callingLead TrackingPreparing QuotesEvent Planning and ManagementSite Selection and InspectionCatering SelectionMenu PlanningFloral ArrangementsAudio / Visual ArrangementsGuest list / Registration CoordinationInvitationsDecorationsEntertainmentMarketing and PromotionPromotional GiftsBusiness SeminarsCorporate HospitalityTeam BuildingExhibitionsTravel ArrangementsVacation PlanningTranslationProfessional translation and language servicesVirtual Legal AssistantA Virtual Legal Assistant (VLA) provides support to attorneys much the same as support services that are provided in-house.A VLA usually has several years of experience as a legal secretary/legal assistant and is familiar with legal terminology and law office procedures.Many small to medium size law firms are facing increasing client pressure to build greater value and efficiency into their firms legal services and cost structures. They then consider contacting with a virtual legal assistant to cut costs and increase the firms value.Who can Benefit from these Services Solo Attorneys Attorneys in small / medium firmsServices ProvidedServices include but are not limited to the following examplesDraft documents (affidavits, motion materials, pleadings, discovery responses,retainer letters and other)Proofread and format court documentsResearch case law and provide summarizing memorandumDigital TranscriptionType handwritten notesDocketingPDF file conversionForm creatione-mail managemente-File court documentsUpdate and manage calendarsCall managementVirtual Research AssistantA Virtual Research Assistant usually has a tertiary qualification and adequate research experience to assist professionals with research on any specific academic and/or informational topic.The difference between an administrative VA and a research VA is that while an administrative assistant usually handles a number of different tasks, a research VA only focuses on the requested research topic.Before contracting with a VA it is necessary to ensure s/he has sufficient knowledge of the terminology of the specific research field.Who can Benefit from these Services Graduates Post graduates Universities Businesses owners EntrepreneursServices ProvidedServices can include but are not limited to the following examplesDevelop research protocolDevelop a research survey, questionnaireWeb / journal / literature / academic research on any required topicTrends analysesQualitative and quantitative researchData collectionData TabulationStatistical analysesMaintain research databasesPrepare research reports, presentations and publicationsVirtual Assistant Web DesignVirtual Assistant web design specialists has sufficient internet/web-design knowledge. They make use of approved and recommended software to provide professional web design packages that enhance the overall purpose of a clients business.Who can Benefit from these Services Small and medium enterprises Solo-preneurs Any person who needs web design servicesServices ProvidedServices can include but are not limited to the following examples.Website designJavascriptcssHTMLProgramminge-commerce and shopping cart sitesSearch engine optimisationPromotion and submission servicesWebsite re-writingVirtual Assistant TranscriptionistA Virtual Assistant Transcriptionist offers timely and accurate transcription services to professionals who need to convert audio or video files into text. The information is mostly pre-recorded onto tape or other digital voice processing systems or can be uploaded directly to their Virtual Assistant workstation.Medical transcriptions and legal transcriptions are most of the time highly specialized and does require certain skills and training with regards to using the correct terminology.Typycal Services Provided by a Virtual Administrative TranscriptionistServices can include but are not limited to the following examplesAcademic TranscriptionClosed CaptioningCorporate TranscriptionDigital DictationLegal TranscriptionMedia TranscriptionMedical TranscriptionPodcast TranscriptionVideo TranscriptionStarting a Virtual Assistant Business SuccessfullyOne of the great things about the journey of starting a home business is the feeling of pride and achievement when you can look back and realise Youve done it all on your own!Do you dream of starting a virtual assistant business a home business where you can assist so many people in realising their dreams by fulfilling yours but you have a number of un-answered questions on how to start a business?Do you need some assistance with your small business start-up?We can help you find the answers you need and show you step-by-step what it takes to be successful when starting a virtual assistant business.

Since virtual assistance is one of the fastest growing industries worldwide, it attracts numerous entrepreneurs around the globe that want to be part of it. Many will be successfull, but unfortunately, many will also fail.The reason:Starting a Virtual Assistant business is not difficult basically anybody can do it.However to besuccessfulas a virtual assistant you will need desire, plenty of motivation, constant commitment, good planning and a truckload of perseverance.If you are up for the challenge, please continue reading.Below is an overview of the more important aspects to consider in starting your Virtual Assistant business.Find Your MotivationBefore starting a home business, please take some time to evaluate your reasons for wanting to be a virtual assistant. Some of the most common reasons could be that you want to be independent and your own boss work from home and be available to your family fully use your skills and knowledge experience creative freedomIt doesnt matter if your reasons are different from these above. We all are individuals with unique circumstances. What matters however, is that youKNOWwhy you are starting a virtual assistant business.This knowledge will ultimately be the motivating factor that keeps you going when you reach some obstacles in your path.Your reasons for starting your home business will help to put you into the right mindset of creating the focus on the things that need to be done.Do an AssessmentAfter youve made the decision for starting a virtual assistant business, the next question will probably be: How to start a business successfully?First you need to ask yourself a few questions and define yourself in terms of: whatskills do you have to offeras a virtual assistant whatadditional virtual assistant trainingdo you need what are yourshort, medium and long term goals what are yourstrengths and weaknesses what are theopportunities and threatsyour new business will have who will be yourclients, how wil youidentify your nicheand what benefit will your services offer them what are yourbudgetary constraintsThe intention of working through these steps is to evaluate your current situation. An honest evaluation will probably show you some encouraging points to focus on as well as some aspects that might require additional attention.Brainstorm a Suitable Business Name

When starting a virtual assistant business, an appropriate name is one of the more important aspects to consider. Since you are a virtual service provider, your business name is usually the first thing that clients will see.It is therefore important that your name has the quality to catch the attention of your potential clients. It should be a name that people can remember, that is descriptive of the services that you provide and also give you the freedom to expand your services into other areas later on.Take your time on this and do a proper job it is time well spend.Plan your Success Create a Business PlanI strongly believe that well thought through preparation and planning is an absolute must to facilitate your success when starting a virtual business.It is not necessary to have a plan that goes to deep into the technical detail of a business. You just need a road map to take you fromAtoB where you currentlyAre, to where you want toBe.This road map, also called abusiness planis your vehicle to success. It needs to include information on how to operate your business in term of services, equipment requirements, business hours, pricing, advertising etc. For more detailed information on writing a proper VA business plan, pleaseclick here.The benefits of a complete business plan are the confidence that you will most likely minimise unexpected surprises by addressing all the fundamental steps at the onset of your journey.Setting your PriceWhen starting a virtual assistant business, you need to decide how much you are going to charge for your services.

Pitfall:Many new VAs make the mistake to start their business with an hourly rate that are much too low.It is important not to undercharge your clients, but to price your services at a reasonable market related rate that will give you the opportunity to still cover your costs and allow you to make a profit.Currently there are no industry standard for VA rates, since the rates can vary greatly depending on the services been offered. As a common practice, pure administrative tasks are at the lower end of the scale while services like website design can be at the higher end.By charging too low a rate, you might get more business in the short run, but it might cost you in the long run. Clients that make use of the cheapest possible VA that they can get, are sometimes as I call it pennywise and pound foolish. They might not easily accept it when you want to increase your rates.A market related charge sends the message of confidence in your own abilities and might win you clients for life.Do Financial Management

Whether you are comfortable with numbers or not, you should have a basic understanding of the financial aspects of running a business before starting a virtual assistant business.A goodbookkeepingandinvoicing systemwill be invaluable to give you inside information into the flow of money in your business.You can either decide to do it yourself, or outsource it to someone else, but having a strong grasp of the financial requirements of your business can take you a long way.Design your Office SpaceWhen starting your virtual assistant business, you have the privilege to set up anddesign your own office space. For me, it is a pretty important aspect of your business as well. It is the place where you are spending most of your time during the day. Ensure that it is comfortable, have good lighting and have all the equipment you need.

Tip: When you first start out, you might not need a lot of space, but remember, that as your business grows, so will your needs. Thus try to allow for a workspace that can be expanded later on.Conform to Legal AspectsWhen you are satisfied with your business name and have your plan set out, you need todecide on your business legal structure.Your first stop should be the business information centre of your city or country. They can provide you with information packages about licensing, permits, zoning requirements, your particular business type,tax requirementsand running a business in your country in general.

The packages are usually free, and the information are invaluable in terms of starting a virtual assistant business on the right foot.For the license and registration procedure, you need to decide on the legal structure of your business. Most VAs usually start out as asole proprietorshipsince it is the easiest and least costly way of starting a virtual assistant business. Later, depending on the growth of your business, you might decide to change it.Find Clients and Keep Them HappyAt this stage, you are ready toget those clients. Make sure you understand who yourtypical customers are, and how best to reach them.The secret to success is to know what your clients need and to inform them of the benefits your service will bring to their tables. People positively react on information that provides solutions for their needs and problems.It is important that yourmarketing campaignis not only striking, but also addresses the needs of your target market. Keep your marketing elegant and professional and your service delivery friendly, accurate and exceptional. Before you know it, satisfied repeat customers will refer people to you.This word of mouth advertisement will be the most powerful marketing campaign that you will have to keep your business booming.ConclusionRemember that starting a virtual assistant business is usually the shorter and easier part, but keeping the momentum and the clients flocking requires the hard work, dedication and a bit of imagination.

Tip: It is however not necessary that you should stress over finding clients and keeping them flocking to your door. If your business is build on a solid foundation, you will soon be in a position to say No, Im Terribly Sorry Im Not Accepting New Clients Right Now.If you want to find out how, pleaseclick hereThe important thing is Enjoy the journey!You have worked very hard in starting your virtual assistant business and bringing it this far. Although it is necessary to keep the momentum and driving your business forward, it is also important to ensure that you are available when your family needs you.Wasnt that perhaps one of the reasons why you chose to work from home?Keep your new small business start-up an amazing experience for yourself and your family.Hiring a Virtual Assistant. Unlock your Businesss Full Potential!It can Open up Limitless Opportunities to any Business Owner.

Hiring a Virtual Assistant requires a different mindset, a change in how you normally conduct your business.It requires a change from working face-to-face with employees and assistants to working virtually where most of the time your only contact is a voice over the phone.If you are a business owner that can adapt to an ever changing environment, wants to remain competitive and grow your business to its full potential,hiring a virtual assistant might be a good strategic solution.If you havent made up your mind yet and are unsure if hiring a virtual assistant is the right choice for your business, I encourage you to first read the sectionwhat is in it for me. You can also review the section onbenefits and concernsof hiring a virtual assistant.If you already made the decision that a VA is the best solution to your situation, below are a few tips to keep in mind during the process of hiring a virtual assistant.Where to start.You are in business to make a profit. Start the process with an in-depth look at your1. Budget

Ask yourself a few questions such as:Will you be able to afford the services of a VA?How much are you willing to pay? Remember that VA pricing structures depend on the type of service they supply.Balance the initial monetary outlay in hiring a virtual assistant, against the prospectiveprofitable benefits that you may gain in terms of saving on total cost to company expenses when hiring a permanent employee.non-tangeble benefits of utilizing your time and energy more effectively.

Tip:Remember, that if you want to compare the costs of hiring a permanent employee vs hiring a virtual assistant, you need to base your calculations on the total cost to company between the two options. Hidden costs such as employee benefits (e.g pension, medical aid, leave etc) for permanent employees can amount to almost 30% of a permanent employees base salary.Do some financial projections. It may help you make the decision.You can review the section onwhat is in it for me.to refresh your mind on how the combined benefits of hiring a virtual assistant can actually assist you increaseing your profit.

2. Task listAt this point you probably have a pretty good idea of the areas that you want to outsource.Prepare a list of all the tasks that you would like a virtual assistant to handle.

Tip:Many business owners often think they can do specific tasks better and faster than anybody else. It might be true, but the question is not whether you can do the tasks better and faster, but if you should be the one doing it.Take a step backwards and have a holistic view of all the activities you need to take care of. What tasks require your specific attention and what can you outsource? That time consuming, non-core activities should go first.Then, decide if you require someone who is a specialist in your industry or do you just need some routine assistance.Click hereto review the list of services that a Virtual Assistant can provide for your business.

3. LocationBased on the tasks that you need to outsource, you will be in a position to decide if your VA should be located close-by (in the same city), or nationally/internationally.The term virtual indicates that your VA can be situated anywhere in the world.Consider all aspects that can impact on the partnership such as your specific needs, time zone differences, communication preferences and language of choice before making your decision.

4. Begin your searchAt this point youve considered your budget, your needs and where your VA should reside. It is now time to start searching for the right candidate.Visit professional virtual assistant organizations on the web. Get a feel of what each has to offer and fill out the RFP (Request for Proposal) on each site. The RFP allows you to specify your requirements that will reach and attract a more targeted VA audience.Visit Virtual Assistant directories. They provide databases of available VAs online. Most directories are grouped per specialization field and/or geographic area.Mention your needs in discussions with friends, colleagues, business associates etc. Someone might just recommend a VA or know someone that is already making use of such services. Word of mouth and personal recommendations are the best references for hiring a virtual assistant.First Consultation Things to consider

After you have narrowed down your list of potential candidates, you need to gather important information on each potential VA to make an informed decision of whom to hire.Contact your candidates and arrange for a time and date to have an initial consultation. The purpose of a consultation is to discuss your requirements and expectations and to assess the abilities of your potential VA.A few things to take note of during the consultation include the following:Professionalism Does the VA conduct the consultation in a professional manner? Is she polite, friendly, does she listen carefully to your requests and respond accordingly? Do you feel comfortable speaking with her?Work ethics Do you have similar values in how you conduct business? Will she have discretion when working with your sensitive information? How will she handle privacy and confidentiality?Realistic and honest Does she have the ability to admit that she is not 100% knowledgeable on certain aspects of the work that you might request? Does she however give you the assurance that she will find out about it? Are you comfortable with her pricing methods?Experience How long is she in the VA business? What was her experience prior to becoming a virtual assistant? What services does she provide? Does she have a proper understanding of basic business principles?Availability What systems does she have in place to prioritise clients needs? How many clients does she have already? What are her working hours?Specialised needs If you need your VA to use specific software/equipment, verify that she is proficient in utilising it. If not, will you be satisfied if she is willing to obtain the necessary knowledge/skills?Rates What are her rates? What procedure does she use for invoicing and payment? Does she offer any retainer agreements, special promotions and/or discounting?Make your decision

You had consultations with a number of potential VAs and decided on the one that you are most comfortable with and whose services suite your needs the best. Now is the time to finalise the partnership between you and your virtual assistant.Negotiate the contract details. It should at least include the scope of work, timeframe for completion of projects, payment terms, confidentiality clauses, material ownership etc. Your prospective VA should have a basic contract template that can be adjusted to suite your needs. Keep a signed copy for your own reference.Discuss and decide what will be the best communication system to facilitate secure exchange of information.The way forward

To secure a long lasting partnership between you and your virtual assistant and achieving the goal of making your business a success, it is important that your VA has a good understanding of the details regarding your business.Provide her with information about the specific targets, projects and deadlines that are critical to your business. It will give her a better understanding of how she can optimally support you.Have regular contact sessions. Frequent, timely discussions have the benefit that both parties can give feedback, evaluate progress and review quality of the work.Set common goals. It helps to focus your combined attention on the ultimate destination of making a success of your business.Winston Churchill said that:If we are together, nothing is impossible.If we are divided, all will fail.This is also applicable to a partnership situation and crucial for business success when hiring a virtual assistant.When a virtual assistant becomes your virtual partner, a whole new world of possibilities opens up. This partnership unfortunately does not merely start fromonlyhiring a virtual assistant. It requires hard work from both parties and are build on open communication channels, mutual trust and respect.It starts however with you. It is your duty as business owner to ensure that you and your virtual assistant are on the same wavelength regarding your company. The sooner she grasps the underlying principles of your business, the faster you can start focusing all your attention on growing your business.What is a Target MarketShould you Use a Shotgun or a Riflewhen Marketing your Virtual Assistant Business

What is a target market or niche market; Is it necessary to have one; How can you identify your target market characteristics for your virtual assistant business?These are questions that are often asked.If youre like many Virtual Assistants when first starting in business, you probably rely on theshotgunapproach of mass marketing.You take every job that comes along; you market your services to everybody and anybody you see or have a conversation with; you send out flyers, develop an on-line presence and advertise your services to the mass market.You do it from a place of necessity.To be honest, there is nothing wrong with it; in fact, this shotgun approach serves us well in the beginning!Why?Because it sometimes takes quite a while before most VAs actually know who their target market should be and before they are able to define a target market for their businesses.Some VAs know straight away, but others often have no idea when starting out and can only through some working experience determine who their niche market is often it is totally different from what they first anticipated.However, as a VA business grows, it will eventually reach a point where you probably need to make important decisions about your target market characteristics (the work that you enjoy doing), your market niche (the people that you enjoy working with) andhow to identify target marketsthat are profitable propositions.But, before you can identify target markets for your Virtual Assistant business, take note of the following first.What is a Target Market

A target market (also called a niche market) represents a group of people that will most likely make use of your services. It is a small, focused and targetable group within the total market regard is as one piece of a pie.These people have something in common that enhances their need for what you have to offer and that something distinguishes them from the total market.If you can identify the characteristics that best represent this group of people and be able to address their needs (needs that are not being addressed by other VAs or service providers), you have a target market a narrowly defined group of potential customers.Is it Necessary to Define Target Market sWell, it is an open question, but by narrowing your focus to identify target markets, you can create an advantage of being alone (or one of few) in that market; other VAs may not be aware of your particular niche market, and/or might not have the skills to enter it create the opportunity to work with people in the industry of your choice deliver the services that you enjoy most and thus maintain passion and persistence for those days when you doubt your reasons for becoming a virtual assistant position yourself as an expert within your industry and use this to market your services increase your rates; if you establish yourself as an expert in a specific industry or as a VA with specific skills that are in demand, your expertise is more valuable to clients and therefore you can charge more for your services have a focused marketing/advertising campaign and not dilute your efforts by trying to meet every need of every client in every field; when you know the specific needs of your market, you can tailor your message to focus on solutions to those needs concentrate on clients who will most likely make use of your services gain a competitive edge in the marketplace. That edge often makes the difference between a successful VA business and a stagnant one.Thus to answer the question whether it is necessary to define a target market, it could be said that it is certainly worthwhile to investigate all the options.Although the shotgun approach of marketing can sometimes be effective when starting your VA business, the rifle approach of niche marketing is certainly more elegant.Click here to find out how toindentify target marketsfor your virtual assistant businessHow to Identify Target Markets for your Virtual Assistant BusinessPut your Business and Your Clients under a Magnifying GlassIdentify target markets for your virtual assistant business in a few easy steps and enhance your marketability with a good niche market strategy. The easiest way to finding niche markets is to start close to home.Start with yourself assess your own interests, work style, and personalityand then expand it step by step to include your ideal clients and their needs.Ask yourself some basic questions such as these below to help identify target markets for your business: What am I good at What do I enjoy doing What passions do I have that I havent explored yet What do I hate/dislike doing What of my current services are not profitable What services are not requested often enough to keep them on my service listBy answering these questions, patterns might arise that can offer some clues about the services to focus on for a selected market niche. Concentrate on the services that you enjoy and that are profitable and cut the ones that you dislike and/or do not provide enough profit.Now, take a look at your ideal clientsand answer the following questions Which existing clients do I enjoy working with Why What are the characteristics of my ideal client In which industries do they workAnswering these questions probably brought you a step closer to providing the services that you enjoy most to the clients that you enjoy working with.Unfortunately, it doesnt stop there. It is also important tounderstand what benefits your services have to these clients. List these benefits, but make sure to list benefits and not only features.Afeatureis what something is.Abenefitis what it does.For example:You can compile and maintain databases fast and accurately (thats the feature). The database however, put all the businesss key information in one place, makes it easily accessible, and easy to update (thats the benefit).Understanding this difference is important because people do not make use of your service to get a feature. They use your services to get the benefit produced by the feature.After listing all the benefits, list some of the clients whose current situation could be improved by those benefits. You should begin to see a definable group emerging as a niche market.It is however also important todetermine if the group youve identified as a niche market is a profitable market. This can be determined if youre able to identify a few individual clients within the group and can find contact information to communicate with them determine if these clients have a need for making use of your services deliver a sales message to these clients ensure this group is large enough to produce the volume of business you needIf youre able to do these few steps, you are on the right tract to identify target markets for your virtual assistant business.VA Niche MarketsVirtual Assistant niche markets can primarily be divided into industries and/or services. Your niche market can be a particular industry and you can build your skills for that industry and/or it might be clients who need a specific skill set.Examples of some niche areas can include, but are not limited to Corporate Travel Arrangements Event Management Desktop Publishing Database Design and Maintenance Website Design and Maintenance Translations Transcriptions (Medical, Legal, Other) Real Estate and many otherTo identify target markets that work for your specific situation is based on an approach offreedom of choice. You can determine what market you feel comfortable with a target market based on an industry, a market based on skills or both.Choose a target market that fits your specific situation.Virtual Assistant Marketing The Lifeblood of Your BusinessActive Marketing of your Virtual Assistant Business will Unlock Opportunities beyond your ExpectationsVirtual Assistant Marketing is not a once off event, but an on-going process. It is all about informingEveryone,Everywhereabout your business and the services you offer. Because without marketing a Virtual Assistant business, you might become a secret virtual assistant never reaching your full potential.If you do some research, youll find there are literally hundred ways of marketing for virtual assistants. It is sometimes so mind boggling that you dont know where to start. The fact of the matter is that you cannot do everything or follow all the different virtual assistant marketing techniques that is thrown at you.Thus, the optimum way to market any business is to find those marketing tools that WORKS for you.

Choose a few, try them out and then stick to those that have the biggest impact on your business.But, before you can start marketing a Virtual Assistant business, you first need to know who your clients will be.Niche MarketingA shotgun approach for marketing, might find you some clients, however effectivemarketing strategy planningwill allow you to develop a marketing plan that will reach you target market each and every time.Click on the links for information onwhat a niche market isandhow to identify your niche marketVirtual Assistant Marketing Methods

Marketing is like building a house. It needs a foundation to ensure that it can withstand the winds and rain. Any builder will tell you that a strong foundation is the basic criteria for a strong house.From our experience we found the most effective foundation for marketing, is to keep the basics in mind. We believe that the following basic marketing methods will provide a strong foundation for your VA business.Click on the links for a more detailed explanation and description of each.

Online Marketing:Attract traffic to your website and turn them into new customers

Creating a Portfolio:It is the show-window of your business and should be well prepared Networking: It is all about building relationships. It is about being genuine and authenticAdvertising:Often the key to business growth but only when it is done regularly

Mailing List:Virtual Assistants often see a mailing list as a lot of extra work but dont realize the value of it

Face to Face Marketing:Certainly one of the most effective ways to market your business, but it is also the one that most people put aside because they fear rejection

Tip: Keep in mind that these are only a few basic methods for effective Virtual Assistant marketing. It can be expanded using any other marketing technique available. Try however to include at least one (or more) of the above basic methods in your final marketing mix.Marketing ArticlesVisit ourarticle section on marketing.We will update it regularly and include new articles that may be useful to you.Online Marketing Techniques for Virtual AssistantsIncrease Your Business ConnectionsOnline marketing techniques that a virtual assistant or small business can use for marketing an onlinebusiness are evolving daily into a broad mix that can help to enhance your presence on the web. Online marketing is specifically used as a way to attract traffic to your website, which in turn should ideally lead to new customers and thus increasing your revenues.One of the largest benefits of online marketing for a small business is the fact that it can be very cost effective as you can implement most of the techniques yourself. Thus if you have a tight budget, some of these online marketing methods can be of benefit to your business.

Below are a few Effective Online Marketing Techniques.Setting up a WebsiteIt goes without saying that in any VA business one of the most effective online marketing techniques is to create a website and get an online presence. Whether you do it via having a formal site or via a blogging site does not matter. The important thing is that you have to be on the web.Clients will not take you or your VA business seriously if you dont have web presence. They might probably think that you could not be knowledgeable on conducting business via online and internet based technologies if you dont even have a web presence.Setting up a website is not that difficult. In short, it requires 4 basic steps; Registration of a unique domain name Finding a hosting company (most of the time hosting companies also include domain registration) Utilising a Web page development / programming software to build your site FTP software to transfer your site files on to your web space (hosts server) so people can view your siteThese days you really dont need to know much about HTML coding anymore if you use a decent web design software tool. Some web hosting companies also offer tools to help you quickly design a website.Your website however needs to convey your businesses message and inform existing and potential customers of the features and benefits of your services.View your website as a great way to establish your business identity and as the Internet equivalent of anoffline brochure or catalogue.Article marketingArticle marketing is the practice of posting keyword-focused articles on article sites that then syndicate your content. The reason why this is one of the important online marketing techniques is because some of these article sites have a significant readership following and can result in a traffic boost for your website, which in turn can promote your business to a wide audience.Article marketing was and still is one of the most powerful online marketing techniques available. Not only does it do wonders for you and your business, its also free. And contrary on what you might think, it is not that hard to get started.The key however is to write helpful, informative, easy-to-understand articles that can actually help readersPress releases

Online press releases are similar to article marketing, but instead of writing a piece on just about anything, a press release involves placing a newsworthy story about your company, website and/or your services on the web.A press release is more time sensitive (much the same as news), and is generally used to create short-term buzz for a particular event or to promote a certain aspect of your business for a specific purpose.Popular press release sites and distribution networks mostly offer both a paid and/or free submission serviceOnline NetworkingAs withoff-linenetworking, online networking is one of the most important online marketing techniques to build contacts for your business. Online networking is primary through joining forums, chat groups, social sites etc. That is where you connect with as many people as possible to learn more about the VA industry, new technology trends, business in general, marketing techniques and so much more.The golden rule however is to do diverse networking. Do not only subscribe to VA forums and chat groups alone (although that is pretty important too), but also build some networks on business forums, marketing forums, womens forums etc. as many job leads can come from these different networking platforms.Blogging

Learning how to blog is a great way to promote your business online. Blogs can be used to get the attention of search engines and drive traffic and interest toward your business website or they can act entirely as the online presence for your business on their own.The word Blog is short for weblog and is an online publication in the form of a log or journal.It is relatively easy and inexpensive to start and maintain, with time probably being the most required resource. If blogging is handled correctly as one of your online marketing techniques, it can increase your customer base, your traffic and your search engine ranking, thus it can ultimately increase your sales.Search Engin Marketing (SEM)SEM means marketing an online business either by Improving the sites ranking throughsearch engine optimization (SEO). SEO is the active practice of optimizing your web site by improving internal and external aspects in order to increase the traffic your site receives from search engines. Buying pay-per-click (PPC) ads: These are ads that you place for your website with a search engine, such as Google or Yahoo. You determine the amount you are willing to pay per click. Listings in website directoriesIts similar to offline yellow page listings. These web directories may be general in nature or related to a specific topic. You can get free listings in some online directories, like DMOZ but most worthwhile international directories now charge for a listing. Most SA based directories are still free of charge.Link building

Requesting links from non-competing, quality companies related to the VA industry is one of the simple but effective online marketing techniques available.Links allow you to get quality traffic while increasing the prestige of your business. Visitors that enter your site from a link that they find on another site are predisposed to believe that they will find something of value there if not, why would the site take the time and effort to link to it?Added benefits of online marketing via link building is that they can give a tremendous boost to your link popularity, which is a major factor in determining how your site gets ranked in search engines.Social Media MarketingSocial media marketing is an engagement with online communities to generate exposure, opportunity and ultimately increase your sales.Social media marketing is not just the latest buzz phrase in marketing, but the truth is it is a new venue that you can use to market and promote your services. (It is also a highly sought after niche area for many VA?s these days)Benefits of online marketing using social media for your Virtual Assistant business includes Generate exposure for your business Increase traffic to your site Can result in new business partners Can help to raise search engine rankings Generate quality leads Reduce overall marketing expenses The Internet has greatly enabled VA businesses to prosper because of the reasonably low cost to start and maintain a web presence and the ease of spreading the word via effective online marketing techniques.Virtual Assistant Business Plan Your Roadmap to SuccessDrafting a business plan is one of the best things you can do before starting your VA business.A Virtual Assistant business plan sets the path to enhance your business success. The following few pages give a step-by-step overview on how to write an effective home based business plan for your Virtual Assistant business. The business plan is divided into a few sections to make it more manageable You will find the links at the end of this page.Having a finished home based business plan in hand is quite important.,butthe real value is in the process.To research and think about every aspect of your business gives you the opportunity to look at your ideas critically.Regard your Virtual Assistant business plan as a compass to guide you into the direction you want your business to go into and determine the direction that will give you the best possible chance of success.Why is a Virtual Assistant Business Plan ImportantDrafting a business plan helps you toExamine the details of your business:The different elements of a business plan forces you to objectively and systematically evaluate all the aspects of running your own business. It gives you the opportunity to map the details that will keep you on track as your business grows.Manage your business:A business plan can act as a tool to test the feasibility of your business and help you remain focused on your long term goals. It can give guidance on how to deal with possible problems before they occur and assist you in keeping your daily tasks well managed.Obtain Funding:A proper business plan will help to attract investors should you need financial back-up. Since your audience now includes individuals that want to invest in your business by lending you the money, they will be more interested in a detailed financial and forecasting analysis. They need to see if their money investment will reap some benefits. A detailed plan will show them that you are serious about being successful.When Should You Use Your Business PlanI honestly believe that your business plan should be a work-in-progress. It is not something you do once and then forget about it. It is a working document that evolves as your business grows and you should use it on a regular basis.Regard it as a roadmap it will initially help you set the path and as your business grows it will keep you on track.You can use your business planDuring the start-up phaseto make fundamental start-up decisions attract investorsDay-to-dayto measure your active progress test your initial planning assumptions guide and adjust your financial forecasts predict ongoing capital and cash requirements use as the standard for good operational management

Tip:Update and maintain your business plan on an as-needed basis.Elements of a Virtual Assistant Business Plan.Below are typical elements/headlines that you can use to create your business plan. Each element is broken down into several components to make drafting your plan more manageable. Use the different links below to access the specific detailed information and use / adjust it to suite your specific needs. Executive Summary Company Description Marketing Section Financial Section AddendumRemember that every successful virtual assistant business plan should at least include some information about each of the above elements.Company Description Virtual Assistant Business PlanIt should give yourself and any other potential reader clarity about who you are and what you have to offer. It should provide the information on how the different aspects of your business fit together.Details that you can include in the company description are the following:Mission StatementA good mission statement accurately explainswhyyour business exists andwhatyou hope to achieve with it.It describes your purpose your reason for being.Before writing a mission statement, ask yourself the following questions What is the purpose of your VA business? Why did you start it in the first place? What are the needs of your clients that you will address? How will you address these needs? What are the values / beliefs that will guide your work?The answers to these questions will give you a pretty good idea how to formulate your statement. Write an initial draft of not more that 30-50 words. Use this draft as a starting point to refine and finalise your mission.Take some time to clearly think about each aspect and ensure that your final mission statement includes the answers to all 4 questions.

Tip:Use your mission statement as a measuring instrument. You can measure each and every action you take against it to evaluate if the action fits into the overall picture of you VA business. This will focus your time and energy on the essential activities of running your business.GoalsSetting your goalsis more than just quickly scribbling down a few ideas on a piece of paper. To be of any value, your goalsneed to be SMART:

Specific,Measurable,Achievable,Realistic andTimelyIt is good to set goals with different timelines (short-, medium- and long term) for all the aspects of your business such as marketing, administration, financial, personal etc. Short term goals are those that you want to reach within the next few weeks or months. Medium term goals are typically ranging from 6 months to a few years and long term goals are those that you want to reach within 2 5 years time.Remember, that a goal should be something that you really want, not just something that sounds good. It should be high enough to give you the momentum to workthat little bit harder, but it should not be too steep that it is out of your reach.

Tip:State your goals in a positive manner. Try to repeat them on a regular basis, preferably daily. Repetition of your goals helps both your conscious and subconscious mind on working towards the goal.Company StrengthsAs a virtual assistant, you are your company!You own it, you are the strength of your company and you are responsible for its success.In this section you can list the following:

Your education, previous experience and skills. Your strengths and core competencies What factors do you think will make your business succeed? What do you think your competitive advantages and/or disadvantages will be?The answers to these questions can typically be derived from doing a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analyses.Services OfferedYour servicesand the way you perform it, are the heart of your VAbusiness.The following information needs to be included in this section: A detaileddescription of your services.

Tip:Do not just state your services in a list format, but try to include information about the specific benefits that each service will offer your client. Youcan state your ability to meet your clients needs and any advantage that your service has over that of your competition.. Include a list of possiblenew servicesthat you will be able to perform in future.. Hours of operation. Will you be able to provide your service full-time or part time? How many hours per week will you be able to work?. Rates per service.Equipment

Give a list of all the equipment that is necessary to deliver your service.Include equipment that you already have as well as those that you need to purchase.Business Legal StructureOne of the more important decisions to make when starting your own VA business is to choose thebusiness legal structuree.g Sole Proprietorship Partnership Corporation Limited Liability CompanyIt is important to understand all the options available before makingyour choice. Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of each and payspecial attention to the tax implications. Your choice will depend onyour businesss specific needs.Elements of a Virtual Assistant Business PlanIt is beneficial to include all these elements in your business plan.Executive SummaryCompany DescriptionMarketing SectionFinancial SectionAddendumSmall Business Structures For your Virtual Assistant BusinessSole Proprietorship, Partnership,Close Corporation or Private Company which one?Deciding which one of the small business structures are right for your Virtual Assistant business is an important part of setting it up, especially since some forms of business must be registered with the Registrar of Companies, and need to meet certain legal requirements.The small business structures you choose will depend on the nature and size of your business, and should suit your specific needs.Starting a businessAccording to Small Business Law there are different ways of starting a business. The law says what you must do for each one. For example, whether you must register the business, how you must register it,tax regulationsand so on.If you want to start any business, you must decide on one of the following small business structures. (There are a few more business structures, but for the sake of a Virtual Assistant business, we will keep to the more general structures.) Sole trader or sole proprietor Partnership CompanyThe information on small business structures is reproduced with the courtesy from paralegaladvice.org.zaSole trader or sole proprietor

A sole trader or a sole proprietorship means one person owns the business. (Proprietor means owner).For example:Susan wants to start a Virtual Assistant business and she runs this business from her home.A sole trader does not have to register the business. If you are a sole trader, the law does not make a difference between the things that belong to you and the things that belong to your business, which are called assets.What does this mean?It means that the computer and fax which Susan uses to deliver administrative services to a client belong to her in the same way that her television set or her bed belongs to her.There is also no difference between the money you owe people and the money your business owes people, which are called debts. It means, the money Susan must pay for using electricity is considered no different to the money she must pay for internet connection or stationary.For example:Susan buys stationary from a supplier to be able to make copies and complete her work properly. She does not pay the supplier for six months, so the supplier decides to go to court to get his money. If Susan does not have the money to pay the supplier, the court can take away her computer, her tv, her car, or anything that is a luxury, and sell it to pay the supplier. Also, if Susan does not pay her water and electricity accounts or an instalment for the new cupboard she bought, the Sheriff of the Court could take the equipment she uses to do her work and sell these to pay her personal debts.A sole proprietor can give her business a name, for example Virtual Admin services. When a sole proprietor fills in any form or signs contracts or opens a bank account, he or she must write their own name and then write trading as (or t/a for short) and then write down the name of the business.For example,Susan Jacobs is a sole proprietor. She runs a Virtual Assistant Business from her house and her business name is Virtual Admin Services. She must then fill in all forms for her business like this: Susan Jacobs t/a Virtual Admin Services.Return to topPartnership

A partnership is a business that has between 2 and 20 partners. The partners own the business together.If two or more people want to start a partnership, they should sign a written agreement preferably prepared by a lawyer. The agreement must include these points: what happens to the assets of the business (for example, the tools and the furniture), if the partnership ends how the partners will share the profits (for example, one partner works every day and another partner only works three days a week. They would not want to share the profits equally because the one partner has worked more days than the other). what happens if one of the partners wants to leave the partnershipEvery time a new partner joins, the partners must sign a new agreement.Like a sole trader, the law does not recognise a difference between the partnerships assets and debts and the assets and debts of the partners themselves. Not only that, but the law does not recognise a difference between different partners assets and debts.For example:Susans partner Ben builds a house and does not pay the builder. The builder takes him to court to get his money. The court can take the tools and furniture of the partnership and sell them to give the builder his money. The court can do this because there is no difference between Bens assets and debts and the assets and debts of the partnership. So Bens debts are also the debts of the partnership. If Ben cannot pay the builder, the builder can get his money from the partnership. Susan would be able to go to court to get the money back from Ben, but it is expensive to pay lawyers to take a case to court and it takes a long time before the court will hear her case.If a partnership wants to give their business a name, like Virtual Admin Services, they can do that. When partners fill in any form or sign contracts or open a bank account, they must write their own names and then write trading as (or t/a for short) and then write down the name of the business.small business structuresReturn to topCompany

Companies have to obey all the rules of the Companies Act, which is a long and complicated law.If more than 10 people want to start a business together, they cannot form a CC. They will have to go to a lawyer to form a partnership or a company.A company has shareholders and directors. Shareholders can be people or other companies. Shareholders put the money into the business and are the owners of the business. Directors are the managers of the business. Sometimes the owners and the managers are the same people and sometimes they are different people.The law sees a company as separate from its shareholders and directors. This means that like a CC, the assets and debts of the business belong to the company and the assets and debts of the shareholders and directors have nothing to do with the Company.Suppliers or banks, which lend money to companies, will often ask the shareholders or the directors to sign surety for the company. If the company cannot pay its debts, then the people who have signed surety will have to pay the companys debts.Directors and shareholders must always write Pty (Ltd) behind the name of the company. If they write the name of the company without writing Pty (Ltd) behind it, the law does not see the company as separate from its shareholders, and the debts and assets of the company are not separate from the debts and assets of the shareholders.If the business is a company and the company has a letterhead, the registration number of the company and all the names of the directors must be printed at the bottom of the letterhead.TAX AND VIRTUAL ASSISTANCE

Is it Necessary for a Virtual Assistant to Pay TaxWell, the law states thatEverybodymust pay tax.If you are an employee, then your employer registers for SITE/PAYE, deducts the tax off your salary and sends it to the Receiver of Revenue.If you own a business and Virtual Assistants normally are independent business owners the Income Tax Act says that you must register yourself as a provisional taxpayer. It does not matter whether you are a sole trader, a partner, a member of a CC or a director of a Company it works the same for everybody.Click herefor a short overview on the differences between these business legal structures.Sole trader and partnerships only need to register in the name of the sole trader or of the partners, because the law does not make a distinction between the debts and assets of the people who own the business and the debts and assets of the business.Close corporations (CC) and companies must be registered in the name of the CC or company. The members of a CC, and the shareholders and the directors of a company still have to pay their own personal tax, so they would also be individually registered as taxpayers.KEEP RECORD OF YOUR EXPENSESWorking from home as a Virtual Assistant means you are running your own business and are allowed to deduct your expenses from your income.What expenses you might ask. Well lets see: You need a telephone to contact your clients landline and/or cell phone; You need internet connection in order to communicate with your clients ADSL or 3G; You need a copier and fax; You need business cards and marketing material; You need a car and petrol to visit your clients if you indeed do that; You need stationary to run your office; You need to advertise your business; You need to network with people and sometimes need to have business lunches; You need to be a member of several organisations (such as Be Virtual Assistant Wise) to promote your business and have to pay membership fees; Your need an office thus, a small percentage of the electricity and water usage can be allocated to your business.This is only a few categories where you will be able to claim back or deduct your expenses from your income. Talk to your auditor, he or she will certainly have more categories for you.Remember you have to keep proof of all the expenses you had during the year. In other words, if you buy a pen for your office, keep the slip. When you pay your membership fees, keep proof of the Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT). When you advertise in the local papers, keep your invoice and receipt.ORGANIZE YOUR EXPENSESKeeping all these till slips and invoices can add up to quite a bit and to sort them out at the end of the year might become a nightmare. So get organized right from the start.An easy and effective way to organize your expenses is to buy a few big envelopes (as many as you might need) and mark them with the categories above. Every time you pay something, put the slip, invoice and/or receipt in the related envelope and at the end of the financial year only add each category up. This will also help you to summarize your expenses for your auditor.Like it or not, you have to pay your taxes. The trouble is that understanding taxation requires more than a genius mind.EvenAlbert Einsteinadmitted,The hardest thing in the world to understand is income tax.So, if you are wading through reams of paperwork, trying to make sense of all the mumbo jumbo, its time to take a break. Read these funny tax quotes over a cup of hot cappuccino and share a laugh with your friends. If the coffee doesnt work, these tax quotes will surely perk you up.Will Rogers~ It is a good thing that we do not get as much government as we pay for.Albert Einstein~ [on filing for tax returns] This is too difficult for a mathematician. It takes a philosopher.Ronald Reagan~ The taxpayer: thats someone who works for the federal government, but doesnt have to take a civil service examination.Joe E. Lewis~ The way taxes are, you might as well marry for love.Denis Healey~ The difference between tax avoidance and tax evasion is the thickness of a prison wall.Vanya Cohen~ When theres a single thief, its robbery. When there are a thousand thieves, its taxation.SMART Goals Setting goals with a difference!!!SMART Goals are the vehicle to significantly enhanceyour business results in the next year!!

Setting goals is easy but achieving them is for most people not that straight forward. SettingSMARTgoals can however help you turn your goals into reality.Did you realise that the wordSMARTin actual fact has 2 meanings?Firstlyit is the acronym forSpecific,Measurable,Achievable,Realistic andTimely goals.Secondlyit portrays a picture of the type of goal that you set elegant, clever, intellectual and brainy.Goals that comply to theSMARTcriterion are not only well structured, but also provide a clear direction of where you want to take your business.Below is a short outline of what you need to take into account when setting smart goals.SpecificSpecific goals have an unquestionable meaning that anybody can understand. To set specific goals you need to answer the following W questions Whois involved? Whatdo you want to accomplish? Whenwill it be finished? Wherewill it take place? Whyis it important?Specificgoals take into account your available resources, knowledge and time.

Tip:A specific goal has a much greater chance of being accomplished than a general goal.MeasurableYou need to know when you achieve your goals or how far away you are from completing it. Measurable goals help you to keep track of your progress and when you get closer to the end product it will keep you motivated to reach the endpoint.To determine if your goal is measurable, ask questions such as.. How much? How many? How will I know when it is accomplished?Define your goals in tangible terms, such as by numbers/amount, money value, time/hours etc. Then measure your progress until you achieve the desired outcome.

Tip:If you cant measure it, you cant manage it.AchievableSmart goals need to have some stretch, but should still be achievable. Take care that you do not set goals that are too easy, too difficult or just plain boring.Easy, boring goals defy the purpose of goal setting and unfortunately will not motivate you.Unrealistic goals that are set too high will lead to frustration and finally surrender. Even if you do start with the best of intentions, the subconscious knowledge that its too far out of your reach will unintentionally effect you mind and will stop you from giving it your best shot.A goal that is important to you, that you believe can be achieved and that have the right amount of stretchwill subconsciously motivate you and open up your senses to find opportunities to bring yourself closer in achieving it.You will develop attitudes, abilities, skills, and financial means to reach them. Even if these goals may have seemed out of reach, they will eventually move closer and become achievable, because you will grow and expand to match them.RealisticThis is not a synonym for easy.Realistic, in this case, meansdo-able.To determine if your goal is realistic, ask the following questions. Do you already have the necessary skills, knowledge and resources to achieve it? If not, can it be obtained? Does the goal fit with the overall long term strategy of your business?Remember, to be realistic, a goal must represent an endpoint towards which you are bothwillingandableto work to. A realistic goal should be something that you trulybelievecan be accomplished.TimelyI honestly believe that a goal without a time limit is just a pipe dream!Time limits can motivate you to reach your goals.It is always easy to put off doing something you dislike eg. making calls to clients, keeping record of your hours and many other activities. Unfortunately, these delays only cost you time and money. By setting a time limit to all your goals (both short and long term), you can force yourself to take action immediately in order to complete it in time.Time limits especially to short term goals, are a great way to ensure you make daily progress.

Tip:Nobody except yourself will keep you accountable for reaching your SMART goals. A good practice therefore is not to procrastinate on goals that you dont necessarily like. Rather reward yourself when you reach your goals within the specified timeline.Rather Turn your Dreams into Reality!

Setting goals forms a critical part of your businesss strategic processes and is one of the important steps in creating a solid business plan.Many virtual assistants when they firststart their VA business neglect to set goals.Some consider setting goals as a time wasting exercise an action that will only result in having a piece of paper that ends up in a closed drawer where it gathers dust.The danger however of starting a business without proper goals opens up the possibility that you might go around in endless circles achieving very little.Without having some direction for your business it is very difficult to succeed. Dont become one or the statistics of a virtual assistant business that fails due to a lack of clear direction and planning for your business.Dont postpone set your goals!

There is an ancient Chinese saying that saysThe journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.In starting a virtual assistant business, the single step to turn your dreams into reality is to first turn your dreams into achievable goalsWhat is a goal?A goal is theresult, the end product that you want to achieve. It represents the visions about yourself, your business and your future. Goals however require action to be achieved and when it is set correctly it forms an integral part of your businesss strategic plan.For example, goals can be used to Increase something your income, nr of clients, customer satisfaction, effectiveness Reduce something risks, expenses, turnaround times, competition Improve something website, marketing campaigns, business processes Save something time, money, space, energyGoals are never stagnant, and will change as your business change. Your goals today might be slightly different from goals that you set in a years time and that is perfectly normal. As your business progress, changes in priorities and how you do business will sometimes necessitate changes in your goals.Keep in mind that every new challenge that is put in your path will require a relook at your goals. If it is still in line with your overall long term plans of where you want to be keep it as is. If not, change it to ensure that you keep your business on the path to success.

Tip:Rather change goals, that is not in line with you overall plan to ensure you stay on the right path, than to stick with goals that will divert energy and attention and force you to lose sight of the endpoint.

Why Setting Goals is Important?Theprocess of setting goalshelps you to think aboutwhat you really wantfrom your life and your virtual assistant business. It involves a brainstorming process that helps both your conscious and subconscious mind to start working on action plans to achieve those goals.The amazing thing is that when you are setting goals, your subconscious mind automatically starts scanning your immediate environment for ideas, opportunities and tools to reach your goals.Goals help you to establish your priorities provide purpose and direction for your life and business focus your energies on finding ways to achieve your dreams motivate you to achieve what you want to achieve provide an outline of what resources you need allow you to measure your progress.Set SMART GoalsSMARTtechniques for setting goals have widely been used by many different professionals to create a foundation for realising their goals.SMART goals work!

It has proven itself over time and are published and repeated a thousand times over.So, how do you go about setting SMART goals for your virtual assistant business?Click onSMART goalsto help you get your thoughts organised.Marketing Section Virtual Assistant Business PlanThe purpose of this section within a business plan is to give a short overview of the marketing elements to include in your business plan.The details of the marketing elements can typically form part of a more elaborateMarketing Planthat can be include as an addendum at the back of your business plan. For VA purposes, the following elements are sufficient to include within the body of the plan.Industry and Market AnalysesGive a description of the virtual assistant industry as perceived by you. You can provide general highlights and conclusions of any researched data that you have collected.It is valuable to do some research on the following: The growth in demand for VA services over the years. Projected growth of the VA industry for the future. Where does your business fit into this industry. Do acompetitive analysis. Determine who are your competitors?

Tip:An industry and market analyses is important to provide you with vital information on the trends within the virtual assistant industry. It will help you to define your competition and assist you to find your unique spot / niche market that will benefit most from your services. This knowledge can give you a competitive advantage when starting your business.Niche MarketYour niche market is simply the group of clients to whom you want to provide your services.

A common pitfall is that aspiring VAs often set their target to wide. To serve a niche market, means that you only focus your attention on a smaller, manageable portion of the total market. Dont make the mistake of trying to be everything to everybody.In this section, give some information on the uniquecharacteristics of your niche market. Who are they? What are their needs and how will you address those needs? What is the geographic location and demographics of your market? The potential size of your target market. How many potential customers do you intent to have?Marketing StrategyIt is the process of attracting customers;and customers are the lifeblood of your business.There is no single way to approach amarketing strategy. Your strategy will be unique to your business and will be an ongoing process.Aspects to include in your business plan are: How will you reach your potential clients? How will you grow your business (e.g. expand your service delivery and/or expand your customer base)? Provide a timeline for achieving your marketing goalsTo do a market and industry analyses and writing a strategy might sometimes seem very time consuming. I can however, assure you the effort will definitely be worth it. You can have the best services to offer, but if you do not know to whom (your target market) to offer it, and do not have a solid marketing strategy, nobody will be interested in making use of it.Elements of a Virtual Assistant Business PlanIt is beneficial to include all these elements in your business plan.Executive SummaryCompany DescriptionMarketing SectionFinancial SectionAddendumFinancial Section Virtual Assistant Business PlanThe purpose of this section within a business plan is to give a short overview of the financial elements of your business.As a virtual assistant business owner, you need some basic knowledge of financial principles and accounting practices, even if you want to outsource all these aspects of your business to a capable bookkeeper/accountant.The amount of detail that you can include will depend whether you would like to use your plan to obtain additional financing or not. The details of your analyses can be included in yourFinancial planthat can be added as an addendum to the back of your business plan.Within your business plan, this section will be much simpler if you are more or less self sufficient and can start your business without monetary support from investors, bankers and/or money lenders.The following is a list of the critical elements to include: All start-up expenses and capital needed A projection of your expected monthly income A projection of your expected monthly operating expenses (include tax liabilities, marketing costs etc.)

Tip:It is always good to add a 10-15% contingency item in your projection for unexpected expenses.Ensure that you stay on top of the monetary side of your business to guarantee that it remains profitable.Elements of a Virtual Assistant Business PlanIt is beneficial to include all these elements in your business plan.Executive SummaryCompany DescriptionMarketing SectionFinancial SectionAddendumAddendum Virtual Assistant Business PlanThe purpose of this section is to give a short overview of what to put in the addendum of a VA business plan.In the addendum you can list all the information details that you do not want to include in the body of the plan.It can contain information that you dont necessarily want everybody to see, but sometimes you might like to have this info within easy reach. For example, investors in your business may want to access specific financial information not explained in the body of your business planin order to make lending decisions.Info that you can include is the following: marketing plan with details of your market studies details of you financial plan business licences and permits legal documents list of your business consultants including your attorney and accountant

Tip:If you want to use your business plan to raise capital, keep a distribution list to control all the copies that you distribute to other parties. Also include a private placement disclaimer on the first page of your documentElements of a Virtual Assistant Business PlanIt is beneficial to include all these elements in your business plan.Executive SummaryCompany DescriptionMarketing SectionFinancial SectionAddendum

Starting a Virtual Assistant Business SuccessfullyOne of the great things about the journey ofstarting a home business is the feeling of pride and achievementwhen you can look back and realiseYouve done it all on your own!

Do you dream of starting a virtual assistant business a home business where you can assist so many people in realising their dreams by fulfilling yours but you have a number of un-answered questions on how to start a business?Do you need some assistance with your small business start-up?We can help you find the answers you need and show you step-by-step what it takes to be successful when starting a virtual assistant business.

Since virtual assistance is one of the fastest growing industries worldwide, it attracts numerous entrepreneurs around the globe that want to be part of it. Many will be successfull, but unfortunately, many will also fail.The reason:Starting a Virtual Assistant business is not difficult basically anybody can do it.However to besuccessfulas a virtual assistant you will need desire, plenty of motivation, constant commitment, good planning and a truckload of perseverance.If you are up for the challenge, please continue reading.Below is an overview of the more important aspects to consider in starting your Virtual Assistant business.Find Your MotivationBefore starting a home business, please take some time to evaluate your reasons for wanting to be a virtual assistant. Some of the most common reasons could be that you want to be independent and your own boss work from home and be available to your family fully use your skills and knowledge experience creative freedomIt doesnt matter if your reasons are different from these above. We all are individuals with unique circumstances. What matters however, is that youKNOWwhy you are starting a virtual assistant business.This knowledge will ultimately be the motivating factor that keeps you going when you reach some obstacles in your path.Your reasons for starting your home business will help to put you into the right mindset of creating the focus on the things that need to be done.Do an AssessmentAfter youve made the decision for starting a virtual assistant business, the next question will probably be: How to start a business successfully?First you need to ask yourself a few questions and define yourself in terms of: whatskills do you have to offeras a virtual assistant whatadditional virtual assistant trainingdo you need what are yourshort, medium and long term goals what are yourstrengths and weaknesses what are theopportunities and threatsyour new business will have who will be yourclients, how wil youidentify your nicheand what benefit will your services offer them what are yourbudgetary constrai