Who is Your VA

It is difficult to say when, exactly, the term Virtual Assistants (VAs) came into existence but, today as per the articles published by BCentral.com, MSN.com, and other publications and experts, Virtual Assistance is one of the hottest home-based businesses. One reason is that it is a relatively easy business to start, and Virtual Assistants (VAs) provide a much needed and valued service that is easy to understand.

A Virtual Assistant (VA) can be defined as a self-employed entrepreneur providing administrative, creative and/or technical services to individuals and businesses from a remote location using e-mail, fax, FTP, or postal mail.

VA is a dedicated and masterfully skilled administrative professional who genuinely want to powerfully impact the lives of people they work with. Keep in mind that having a VA will IMMENSELY free up your time to focus on the stuff that matters, such as marketing and growing your business, developing bold new product ideas and income streams, and servicing your larger clients. You'll think much bigger and will have much more creative energy. Some of these advantages are as follows:

• Giving work away that doesn't need his/her attention gives back time and space for an abundance of other things, which may include:
o Growing a business
o Doing just the work he/she loves
o Spending more time with family and friends
o Seeking other opportunities or being able to take advantage of those already aware of
o More balanced life
• There is no need to share space in a home-office, or find additional office space for an employee
• There is no need to buy additional equipment
• There is no need to deal with the managing of an employee
• There is no need to deal with the administration details associated with payroll
• There is no need to pay associated payroll taxes, insurance, and possibly benefits

The main factor that makes VA so special (besides the fact that it's, well, virtual) is the relationship — the partnership formed between the VA and client. A VA works in a relationship, which is ongoing, with the people working together daily. Because of the nature of the relationship, a VA can only work with a relatively small number of clients. VA becomes the right hand of the person assisted, getting to know the client, his business, his customers, his life. She becomes, literally, a partner in his success.

A VA can perform lot tasks, which are as follows:
• Handle email or US mail, handling most and forwarding to the client just those which need his/her attention
• Make appointments, keep a schedule
• Make/receive phone calls/inquiries
• Fax/receive faxes
• Research of all sorts
• Plan meetings and events
• Plan parties (business and personal), weddings, reunions
• Make travel arrangements — business and personal
• Handle reservations for seminars given by clients
• Writing
• Proof reading
• Copy editing
• Newsletter publishing (print and internet)
• Coordination of web design/hosting
• Mailings
• List managing (majordomo, listserv)
• Reminder service
• Bookkeeping — business and personal
• Manage vendor relations
• Create/maintain databases

The only tasks which a VA can't really do are the things which actually need to be touched in the client's office, such as paper filing.

One of the greatest advantages of a VA is that they charge you only for the time worked. A VA is a business owner themselves; they understand the importance of confidentiality, lead/turn-around time, customer relationships, marketing, finances and running a business in general.

We are quickly moving towards a generation when “Virtual Assistant" will be a well-known term, and the vast majority of small business owners and entrepreneurs will be working with at least one VA. We also see the day coming when corporations will be ready to see administrative professionals as professionals, and will want to work in partnership with administrative professionals. When that happens, we'll see more VAs working with individuals in corporations. A day will come, where people will ask the question “WHO is your VA?”