I was attending a Workshop recently to learn about Marketing on a shoestring.  The attendees were from different backgrounds and a variety start-up businesses.

We were told about marketing – to get 10 clients we need to contact 100 (just an example).  You would start with 100 and at each stage you would lose some prospective clients, until the last 10 who required or wanted your services.

There were a number of ideas about how to get the “attention” of prospective clients, not all suitable for a Virtual Assistant (VA) start-up.  The best place to get this information is from other VAs.  Those who already have a successful business or ones who are rising quickly in their field.

At the end the question arose “What is your business?”  I replied “I’m a Virtual Assistant.”  “Oh.  So you are in a call centre, that sort of thing?” was the reaction.

There are many misconceptions about what a VA is and this is one of them.  Due to this misconception, very few people know the term “Virtual Assistant” was coined to describe the first administrator/assistant to work virtually in the US. I know very few people who manage other people’s calls and messages – not saying there aren’t those who do.  A VA is someone who can make your life easier in YOUR business, saving you time to devote to promoting your own business and assistance to your clients.

A VA can be found in many different fields.  You may never meet them, just talk to them over the phone.  You can meet on Skype or other similar mediums because you live and work in different countries.  A VA is global!

Very rarely would you find a VA who was offering “all-rounder” services unless they had a team.  Most have a niche they specialise in to give you the best service.  These niches include (to name a few):  web design; transcription; social media management; call centres; marketing; coaching/training; small business admin; book-keeping; online courses; and the list goes on.

A company or sole trader may utilise the services of a few different VAs, who are not employees, but entrepreneurs in their own right.  They may be needed a few hours a week or for the duration of a specific project.