What is a VA? Why should I hire one?

This article is especially for the audience that “accidentally” arrived here. You may just need a Virtual Assistant (VA), and didn’t quite realize you needed one…or were not familiar with the VA Industry until today. Following please find valuable information to help you decide if you should look into hiring a VA:

What is a VA?
A Virtual Assistant (or VA) is a professional service provider who specializes in providing administrative office support services as an independent contractor whilst offsite.

Virtual Assistants work from their own (home)offices and utilize today's technology to deliver their services and communicate with clients.

A Virtual Assistant's support is foundationally intended to be administrative, secretarial and clerical in nature. However, many Virtual Assistants offer additional specialties that fall under creative and technical services.

Virtual Assistants come from a variety of business backgrounds, but the single-most important qualification of a Virtual Assistant is that they have extensive administrative experience earned in the real (non-virtual) world working in upper level capacities such as administrative assistant, secretary, executive assistant, office manager, legal assistant, etc.

From this level of experience, they are expected to possess the superior skill sets, training and business knowledge which are the hallmark of a truly qualified multidiscipline Virtual Assistant.

You may need a VA if one of the following facts is applicable to you:

• You feel overwhelmed each day
• You have trouble finding enough time for yourself and your family.
• You need the advantage of having a Personal Assistant, but can’t afford to hire someone full-time.
• You want international presence for your business without investing in office set-up and staffing;
• You want to save on expenses and yet remain competitive to secure the survival of your business during financially challenging season(s);
• You’re overwhelmed by administrative tasks that prevent you from focusing on growing your business;
• You’re starting your business and want to project a professional image at a fraction of the cost;
  

Reasons To Hire a Virtual Assistant:

• A VA is 100% interested in your business. You're success determines their success. VA’s treat your business as if it’s their own!
• All VA time is productive as opposed to that of an employee, whose time are typically also used on personal telephone calls, lunch and replying to personal emails.
• There is no minimum number of hours you must work with a Virtual Assistant. You only pay for the hours worked. In addition, you are not liable to pay taxes and National Insurance as you would when taking on a new employee.
• VA’s aim to complete your work to perfection and timely delivery - or ahead of time!
• VA's are available as and when you need them. Many are also available during weekends and holidays for those last minute and urgent projects.
• You get more time to do what you do best, while leaving the administrative (and other required details) to a VA.

I bet you realized that you need a VA. If so, feel free to contact me or search for a VA near you in the IVAA Directory.

Practical and Cost-efficient Advertising Methods

Advertising and marketing, as you know, is one of the essential tools required to succeed as an entrepreneur. Many start-up VA's have to contend with a “shoe-string budget”. As such, one has to research methods befitting of such a budget.

I happen to be one of the VA’s that started on a “shoe-string budget” and tested quite a few advertising/marketing methods over the years. Depending on your personality, you may prefer to focus on web ad campaigns. However, it is also of importance to market yourself beyond the internet, ie: business networking meetings, etc. This article, however, is about some of my preferred ad methods via the World Wide Web.

Search Engine Optimization:
I was always a bit skeptical about agencies offering this service and opted not to use them and preferred to handle that aspect myself. Ironically, I “stumbled” in an article earlier this week that happened to confirm my suspicions about these agencies. If interested to read the article, please click here. I for one am sure glad I didn't outsource this to any one of those agencies. The (hefty) fees they charge can certainly be applied to far better use.

Classified Ads:
In my experience, classified ads work quite well. It’s an inexpensive method and warrants you the opportunity to target your preferred (global) market areas. Whilst residing in Holland, I used marktplaats.nl and recommend the service to anyone.

Sticker(s) and Pin(s):
Both methods work fantastic, and are great tools to initiate conversation pertaining to your business! I’m a member of the International Virtual Assistants Association, and received these tools along with my welcome package. For variety, I plan to have a few other pins made with different interesting texts, ie: “I’m a VA! Need one?!”.

Networking:
This is another great way to market your business and generate new friends. In addition, you can get professional advice and assistance for Free! I’m currently a networking member at eCademy and I’m really enjoying my membership in addition to the extra exposure I generate via search engines. Need proof? Visit Google, search for my name, and see what pops-up.

Reciprocal Links:
This is a cool system, and it’s Free! Simply exchange links with fellow entrepreneurs, and place it on your website. People visiting your site get exposed to their site and vice versa.

Okay…that’s about it for today! Don’t forget to “check-in” for updates on my Blog. I plan to post at least one new message each week.

Yours truly,
Sophia van Dinter
VAPractice.com
@ your service despite of your location!

Time management

It's been a while since I posted a message to this Blog. This due to an active calendar filled with all sorts of activities ranging from business, family, ministry, personal, and everything in between. Hence, the idea to write a bit about time management.

In my humble opinion, time management is essential in everything we do.
Above all it sets the trend in spending quality time nurturing our spiritual life and family relations. Once that is well taken care of, one can move on to other matters as per the agenda and/or list of priorities.

To keep things simple and organized, I keep one Planner for everything. This system helps me to keep track of how much time I spend on each "thing to do" and helps me to avoid "double bookings" as it pertains to appointments. Thus far, I prefer to plan my agenda with the use of the software program Microsoft Works. I think it's a great tool...it has handy features like for instance "reminders" that go off at the time you set. Best of all its user-friendly!

Well, that about it for today. I've scheduled to post at least 1 new message per week, and cordially invite you to check back for updates.

Sincerely,
Sophia

Information is knowledge, and knowledge is power!

The title of my first entry to this venue of communication is one of my favorite statements, and has proven to be true in various areas of my life. One of those areas is my career as an independent Virtual Assistant, and associate member of Virtual Assistant Practice.

It all started back in 2000 when I was searching the net for a challenging, innovative, and practical e-business opportunity. To this day I don't believe it was a mere coincidence that I discovered the Virtual Assistant Industry -- I knew it was thé perfect solution for me given my many years of professional experience within the administrative and secretarial field.

Needless to say, I seriously considered becoming a Virtual Assistant when it suddenly dawned to me that I already was one since my employer (back in 2000) hardly ever was physically at the office due to (inter)national business activities and engagements. As such, I decided to thoroughly research the VA industry and monitor its development for the method was fairly new back then.

It's been 6 years since I first discovered this wonderful industry, and I'm a practicing VA since 2003. I'm pleased to report that it has added new dimensions of fulfilment to both my life as a professional and as an entrepeneur!

It's my hope to positively contribute to the VA industry as a whole thru my blog by sharing information with all interested parties -- particularly fellow VA's, and those who are contemplating to become a VA . So, feel free to post your experiences, queries, and tips!

Sincerely,

Sophia