Have you ever wondered, “What exactly is that virtual assistant that you keep hearing so much about?” The answer is simple. A virtual assistant, or VA, is an administrative professional who provides immediate professional support, services, and skills to busy entrepreneurs and business managers via the Internet.
But “What can a virtual assistant do for me?” is a little more complicated. The ways in which a VA can help you and your business are as unique and diverse as the individual VAs are themselves. To help narrow down the possibilities, the virtual assistants at the Virtual Assistant Networking (VAN) forum, http://www.VAnetworking.com were asked to list the top 10 things they could do for their clients. This is what they said.
1. A VA can assist you with marketing support, increasing you clientele and freeing up valuable time to service your customers. They also can handle all your marketing and publicity helping you to spread the word about your product or services.
2. Many virtual assistants specialize in web design and search engine optimization. Once you work with a VA, they know your business inside and out, who better to help you prepare your website.
3. A virtual assistant can make your next presentation shine by giving it that polished professional presentation which is sure to capture your audience and promote all your products and services.
4. A virtual assistant can be instrumental in proofing, editing, and typing all your correspondence, pleadings, manuscripts, etc., thus allowing a more professional edge to all your business communications.
5. A virtual assistant can take over all your bookkeeping, bills and accounts payable. Let them worry about payroll so you can worry about the important tasks of running your business.
6. A virtual assistant can plan your next company event or outing providing for an enjoyable and memorable time for all. Think how much more enjoyable it can be when the burden of planning is removed.
7. Because VAs work on an “as needed basis” and only when you have work, hiring a VA can save you money. Clients only pay for the work done, and don’t have to pay for benefits, equipment, or supplies. What a cost savings that can be.
8. A VA can save you space because s/he work from his/her office as an independent contractor.
9. Hiring a VA can save you time because you will not have to spend time hiring an employee or temporary help, as well as training the new staff.
10. A virtual assistant can schedule your appointments, manage your calendar, organize your desk, and make running a business that much smoother.
Tawnya Sutherland is the founder of The Virtual Assistant Networking Forum (VAN), the largest member based Virtual Assistant global networking community for aspiring and successful Virtual Assistants online. She states, “By bringing “the best of the best” of virtual assistants to the VAN Community, we make it easy for clients to partner with successful VAs.”
Diana Ennen of Virtual Word Publishing, http://www.virtualwordpublishing.com, the publicity representative for VAN states, “Now is the time to stop looking for that VA who will make your business better and finally make the commitment to hire one. At VAN, you’ll find exactly what you are looking for.”
Stop by Virtual Assistant Networking (VAN) today and find that VA you’ve been looking for. They are waiting, ready to assist you with all your business needs.
Tawnya Sutherland, founder of Virtual Assistant Networking (VAN) (www.vanetworking.com) and author of The VAS System, a Virtual Assistant Startup System, is a Certified Internet Marketing Specialist sharing much of her online marketing experience at VAN to help aspiring and successful VAs turn clicks into cash at their websites. Contact her at tawnya@mediamage.com.