Today, hire a "virtual assistant" is now common practice in the workplace. Indeed, many companies can not financially afford to hire someone full time on an assistant, or simply do not have the workload required to hold a full-time basis. They then seek to use the services of a virtual assistant. Other companies are interested in this type of service on specific periods, especially during the summer when many of their employees go on vacation, to ensure the workload in their absence. Finally, other companies have sometimes too much work to do for current staff and need help from time to time, an off-site assistant to handle some of the workload. With the increasing development of busniesses and home activities, the demand for this type of service will only continue to increase.
This is an ideal niche to enter the market as a company online: demand for the services of online virtual assistant is very strong now. You can bill your services by the hour, the contract for a given job, or on a monthly rate base. This is one of the easiest online activities and less costly.
This is an ideal niche to enter the market as a company online: demand for the services of online virtual assistant is very strong now. You can bill your services by the hour, the contract for a given job, or on a monthly rate base. This is one of the easiest online activities and less costly.
Skills required:
Excellent knowledge of computers will be a valuable asset. Skills in terms of oral and written communication will also be very important because your customers require you quality work, and you will have regular contact with them. In addition, knowledge and understanding of the current busniess world will be a plus.
Cost to start this busniess:
Initially, you will pay for the design, development and hosting of your website, computer equipment, software, scanner, fax and printer. If you already have some of these items, your initial start-up costs will be reduced accordingly. Other cost involved will be linked to the promotion of your busniess. To start, you can provide between $ 2,000 and $3,000.
Number of employees needed to start:
A person can easily begin this part time.
International potential:
This company has little international potential: the majority of your customers will be in your immediate geographical environment.
Important information on this company:
An important question you'll be confronted to the compatibility with the software that your client is using. No need to put all your effort into the development of an electronic report to finally realize that your client can not open it. Inquire in advance about the software they use.
Online marketing techniques:
• Develop a linking strategy. You must create a maximum of links to your website on websites, directories, forums related to the services you offer.
• Advertising through mailing lists and newsletters is important. You might even develop your own newsletter, to stay close to your target market.
• Submit the URL of your website to search engines and directories. Many of your customers will likely be in your area. Therefore make sure to figure in the regional busniess directories online that your target market may need to consult.
• Develop a viral marketing strategy where visitors can "Send this service to a colleague" via your site. They give the word, and it thus generate word of mouth (and visits!) On your website.
Additional income:
You can earn extra money by offering value-added services such as scanning or printing documents. You may charge a price per page for each of these services. You can also offer desktop publishing services (graphic design), or development and newsletter distribution, or the helplines or other administrative tasks often carried out at home.
Excellent knowledge of computers will be a valuable asset. Skills in terms of oral and written communication will also be very important because your customers require you quality work, and you will have regular contact with them. In addition, knowledge and understanding of the current busniess world will be a plus.
Cost to start this busniess:
Initially, you will pay for the design, development and hosting of your website, computer equipment, software, scanner, fax and printer. If you already have some of these items, your initial start-up costs will be reduced accordingly. Other cost involved will be linked to the promotion of your busniess. To start, you can provide between $ 2,000 and $3,000.
Number of employees needed to start:
A person can easily begin this part time.
International potential:
This company has little international potential: the majority of your customers will be in your immediate geographical environment.
Important information on this company:
An important question you'll be confronted to the compatibility with the software that your client is using. No need to put all your effort into the development of an electronic report to finally realize that your client can not open it. Inquire in advance about the software they use.
Online marketing techniques:
• Develop a linking strategy. You must create a maximum of links to your website on websites, directories, forums related to the services you offer.
• Advertising through mailing lists and newsletters is important. You might even develop your own newsletter, to stay close to your target market.
• Submit the URL of your website to search engines and directories. Many of your customers will likely be in your area. Therefore make sure to figure in the regional busniess directories online that your target market may need to consult.
• Develop a viral marketing strategy where visitors can "Send this service to a colleague" via your site. They give the word, and it thus generate word of mouth (and visits!) On your website.
Additional income:
You can earn extra money by offering value-added services such as scanning or printing documents. You may charge a price per page for each of these services. You can also offer desktop publishing services (graphic design), or development and newsletter distribution, or the helplines or other administrative tasks often carried out at home.
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