Now that more than 95% of jobs have been digitalized, there is a rising need for virtual assistant services.
Corporate organizations and fortune 500 companies consistently requests for more of virtual assistant services.
So, if you have always been taught of starting a low-cost business from home, this post will inform you all that you need to know about virtual assistant services as well as the steps to get started and the top pick for you to choose from.
VIRTUAL ASSISTANT SERVICES LIST
A social media virtual assistant is one who is vastly experienced in maintaining multiple social media platforms and performing rigorous tasks of creating contents, engaging followers, uploading videos and pictures in correspondence to the content created or product marketed, building an audience, keeping up to date with competitors, examining reviews from consumers and every other thing that promotes the development of a business or product on social media, from doing giveaways to selective campaigns.
#2. CREATING BLOG POSTS;
Another virtual assistant service hotly sourced for is the creation of blog posts. Blogging is not only one of the significant online engagements but has become incessantly difficult to keep up with even as more demanding aspects of blogging arise. A blogger virtual assistant provides services such as providing blog post ideas, creating content, engaging readers, researching the needed knowledge for a blog post, keeping up with competitors, sourcing for related images, formatting posts, optimizing content (SEO), etc
#3. GRAPHIC DESIGNING:
A graphic design virtual assistant is a gold mine in the online business “world” as it’s not just a challenging skill to possess, but also a well paying and devastatingly time consuming skill, especially for a non expert. A virtual assistant in this field provides services such as image editing, creating flyers, creating logos, creating visuals, video creation, etc.
#4. MANAGING EMAIL ACCOUNTS:
A huge percentage of business owners get so busy running their companies, researching, developing and studying competitors that they forget to cut out time for little necessities such as cleaning up their email box. This makes the service of an email accounts manager highly needful. They perform tasks such as organizing emails, replying to emails, setting up alerts and filters for a client’s better navigation, unsubscribing from an irrelevant email list, etc
#4. TRANSCRIBING AND TRANSLATING:
A virtual assistant who is bilingual or multi lingual is an asset to a client or firm involved in doing businesses with clients or customers in those languages. They are able to perform administrative tasks such as translating, transcribing, responding to emails, handling some business meetings and plans, executing strategies as well as being a representative for his or her client.
#5. SECRETARIAL SERVICE:
Inasmuch as most virtual services offered can be handled effectively from the comfort of ones’ home, they can also be carried when necessary to the office space. One of these services is that of the virtual secretary. He or she can handle every task from calendar management, screening of emails, scheduling meetings, booking appointments, picking and making calls, etc
#6. TRAVEL ASSISTANT:
A virtual travel assistant aids his or her client in major tasks which concern travelling such as booking of flights and hotels, scheduling and rescheduling meetings, travel insurance, currency exchange to that which the client would make use, etc
#7. CUSTOMER SERVICE:
Handling a host of customers or consumers complaints, suggestions and premonitions can prove strenuous to a growing company, hence the dire need of a customer service virtual assistant. A VA in this field performs tasks such as responding to customers’ complaints, returning phone calls, filtering through emails and reviews, engaging with customers, guiding customers in areas of difficulty, responding to reviews, etc
#8. CALENDER MANAGEMENT AND SCHEDULING:
Calendar management and scheduling is not as simple a task as many might think because it consumes time and requires critical skills like organization and efficiency. A calendar management and scheduling virtual assistant organizes his or her client’s personal calendar, fixing meetings, scheduling conferences, managing appointments, canceling out on some meetings, reminding his or her client of daily schedules and meetings, organizing programs, etc
#9. EDITING:
Editing/ proof reading involves reading through an already completed write up or article before publication or posting. A proof reader is expected to spot errors such as spelling errors, grammar and punctuation errors, and edit them out where necessary. He or she also ensures the work follows a sequence and is understandable, considering the level of the audience.
#10. INTERNET/DIGITAL MARKETING:
An internet marketer virtual assistant performs tasks such as creating newsletters, sales copies, researching keywords, optimizing contents, creating contents, creating Google ads, online campaigns etc
#11. OFFICE ADMINISTATION:
An office administration virtual assistant performs literally almost all the services required of an assistant in an office. The tasks he or she is required to perform includes; creation of reports, document formatting and management, note taking services, minute taking, presentation, scheduling etc
#11. WEBSITE DESIGN AND MANAGEMENT:
A website design and management virtual assistant performs tasks such as creation of website, coding, website maintenance, website content management etc
#12. ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT:
An account managing virtual assistant performs services such as matching transactions and payments, creation of invoices as well as sending them to customers, chasing down payments, handling transactions, managing profits and loss etc
#13. DATA ENTRY:
A virtual assistant can also perform the service of data entry. It involves tasks such as organization of data, monitoring activities, creation of reports, reviewing data etc
#14. CONTENT CREATION:
A content creator virtual assistant does hardly everything that involves the creation of content in other to promote his clients business such as copywriting, handling the creation short sales letters and long sales letters, blog posts, social media posts etc
#15. RECRUITING:
A recruiting virtual assistant is not just an online marketer as he or she assists in recruiting employees, listing jobs on social media platforms and blogs, hosting online campaigns, setting up interviews, screening employees etc
#16. PINTEREST MANAGEMENT:
A Pinterest virtual assistant handles tasks such as blogging, marketing, creating images with descriptions, etc on the Pinterest social platform.
#17. PODCAST AND YOUTUBE VIDEO MANAGEMENT:
A virtual assistant with adequate knowledge of the technical know-how and editing tools for both audio and video creation would perform the tasks of editing podcasts and YouTube videos, creating videos and podcasts, coming up with ideas for updates or posts, and constantly researching to ensure the expectations of the target market are met, etc
#18. RESEARCHING AND ONLINE REACH OUTS:
A virtual assistant possessing the soft
skills of consistency and good communication can take over from his client in constant researching and sourcing of needed information, indulging the target market, carrying out researches and keeping up with competitors, generating leads, participating in various platforms and forums, engaging in conversations with likeminded clients all for the promotion of the business as it is generally his basic focus.
VIRTUAL ASSISTANT SERVICES PRICE
Pricing and charging rates is usually one task difficult for a virtual assistant to determine. This is because there is hardly one price that suits all services and its needs. The fear of overpricing or underselling oneself is one that runs across most virtual assistant minds when asked for his/her charging rates.
The following should be considered in choosing a pricing rate adequately;
The hours spent working:
In other to get an accurate billing rate, a virtual assistant should charge for each hour they spend working for a client. This can be achieved by keeping tabs of the hour or hours spent on a particular task, supplying the required service to the client. This should be decided between a virtual assistant and their client or spelt out in a documented contract.
Expenses:
One of the most important factors for a virtual assistant to take into consideration while determining their hourly rate is their expenses. Such as the income spent during the work period on tools for efficient service rendering and even general expenses of the virtual assistant. A virtual assistant with more expenses than others, may need to charge more to cover costs and maintain their lifestyle.
The simplicity or specialization of the skill/task required:
The simplicity or specialization of a skill required to complete a task serves as a point to consider in choosing a price rate. Skills such as note taking, minute keeping etc are not specialized skills as it does not require in-depth expertisim and would therefore have lower price rates compared to such skills as web development, graphic design etc because they are more specialized.
Experience/Level of expertise:
Experience or level of expertise will always play a part in the determination of w virtual assistant rates. A VA with years’ of experience and possess knowledge on the technical know how of for example, softwares that a client might need will be sorted after and paid more than those with no experience or expertise.
Working compatibility:
The working compatibility or relationship between a VA and his client can also be considered when settling on a price rate. A VA who enjoys working for a client, has their peace of mind and has a good relationship with his client and even a lot to learn from them, would surely charge lesser compared to one he doesn’t enjoy working with.
Annual goal:
The annual goal is the income goal projected to be achieved yearly. Having a goal in mind is an easy task but spreading it through the months, weeks days and hours through every job taken is the only way it’s achievable. To achieve this, a virtual assistant has to adjust and divide their annual salary by billable hours per year and they’ll be left with the hourly rate they should charge for each job and the annual goal will be achieved.
N/B_ No matter how tempted a virtual assistant might be, he/she should not readily pick up any service to perform based on a high price rate attached to it, unless he or she has the expertise and can readily deliver.
From who a virtual assistant is, to the high sort after services they can offer in 2023, to the available jobs and to services price, this article has revealed enough secrets to take your virtual assistant career to a the higher level desired.
Work hard and Work smart
