Business babysitters

 I encountered this term while surfing the internet. And it really struck me since this is what being a VA is all about. Its not just about assisting the company owner and their clients, but actually taking care of the whole business for them so they are worry-free.

Like when they want to go on a vacation or have an important meeting, someone just has to be there to take care of their existing business/customers. What usually works for these clients is answering phones, handling emails, and taking care of their customers, whatever their inquiry or what assistance they might need for the day. Bigger clients usually get permanent or regular VA services as business babysitters as their business grows. Some even delegate important stuff to their VAs as they grow more confident with each other.

How much do business babysitters usually charge? I would personally want a weekly retainer as this is more secure for me and for my clients. But if you have lesser tasks like answering emails, check the usual rate for this job in your industry. You might also want to check other VAs who do the same and what they charge. Normally, its based on experience and location. US based VAs charge higher than those from the Philippines or from India.

Promote your services as early as possible and as much as possible. This increases your chances of getting more clients and more business. Flyers usually don’t work when you’re offshore like me, so a website, a blog, an international ad usually does the trick.

Goodluck!

Benefits in getting a Virtual Assistant

I wanted to share today the benefits for clients in getting a virtual assistant. So why exactly would you have to hire one? Let me enumerate the top reasons :

• Pay only for the time used for your business
  
• No overhead costs like physical office, computers, equipments, office supplies, etc.
• You do not pay for vacations, time-off, sick leaves, maternity leaves, health benefits, coffee breaks, government taxes and mandated benefits.

 So getting a virtual assistant would definitely help you and your business. Hire now!

More advantages

I’ve been contemplating on my business for the past few weeks. Thinking as to why I decided this was the best job I ever accepted. And here’s some reasons why :

1. I don’t travel from home to work, therefore saving time and money.  
2. I don’t spend on office uniform or business clothes
3. No traffic!
4. I get to spend more time with my family
5. Laid-back feel in my home-office setup, therefore, less stress
6. No politics
7. Flexible working hours (maybe or maybe not)

Just a few of what I consider as my perks on this job.  

My Virtual Office

As I have mentioned on previous posts, I have been in this industry for quite some time now, and as preparation, I’ve made a substantial investment for my virtual office. I’m always on the lookout for new programs and constantly upgrades or change my setup. 

• Desktop -  Pentium 4, 120GB HD, 1.5GB RAM, Windows XP Pro SP3, Combo Drive
• Laptop - HP Compaq Presario V3000, Intel Core Duo, 80GB HD, 1GB RAM, Windows XP Home
• Notebook - MSI Wind Edition U100 LXP8 Intel Atom N280, 1.66ghz, 2gb RAM, 250gb HDD, Windows XP Home
• Wireless (WiFi) Network - Apple iPhone3G 16gb
• Printer - EPSON 3-in-1 printer, scanner, photocopier
• Microsoft Office 2007
• Quickbooks Plus 2007
• AVG Pro Antivirus; Spybot Search and Destroy
• Dropbox
• GoToMeeting
• FireFTP
• Messenger/VOIP - Yahoo, MSN, Skype (voicemail and forwarding available)
• Internet Connection - DSL 1mbps; Backup - Globe Wireless Internet

Always check on this list for updates.

Virtual Services : For Hire

Since I have been in this business for quite a long time now, I would like to start marketing what I have to offer :

I have set up a team of virtual assistants who’s working with me on projects. The team comprises of content writers, personal assistants, web designers, bookkeepers, web developers, project managers, etc.

Low, low fees! As low as $4-5/hour!!!

Send me an email for an RFP on your project! =)

More on this post SOON!