What Is A Virtual Assistant?

August 16, 2009 by
Filed under: Career 

What is a virtual assistant? It is a question you probably ask if you’ve heard the title “Virtual Assistant”. A virtual assistant (VA) is an independent contractor and a home business that uses Internet, telephone, fax, e-mail and other technologies to communicate with its customers.

Virtual Administrative Support Assistant and / or special services for businesses. Many virtual assistants are the most common administrative assistant or executive in the traditional working environments before starting their practice, Virtual Assistance. Most virtual assistants work from home and virtual office using the technology elsewhere. Virtual Assistant technology could have a global customer base.

Virtual Assistant: What are they?
Ok … So now you know the answers to the question of what is a virtual assistant, now we’ll talk about what they do.

Virtual assistants do most of the same services as an employee on site, but without the additional costs for employers. Some provide general services, while other special services as a real estate virtual assistant.

Some services offer Virtual Assistants (this) is not an exhaustive list:
- Website and Graphic Design
- Website maintenance and updates
- Online and Offline Marketing and Advertising
- Accounting / Bookkeeping
- Data Entry
- PowerPoint Presentations
- Advertising in newspapers
- Desktop Publishing
- Design custom ad for print media
- Travel Arrangements
- Writing, editing and research services
- Secretarial Service
- Word Processing
- General and Legal Transcription Services
- Database Management
- Personal Assistant Services
- Event Planning
- Technical Support
- Coaching / Consulting
- Customer Service
- Support Real Estate

These are just a few services you can offer as a virtual assistant. The more specialized your services are, the less saturated market. Try to find niche markets and target if you have special skills and / or have expertise.

The basic equipment and software are needed include, without limitation, the following transactions:

Standard equipment:

  • Computer and / or laptop
  • Cable, satellite or DSL Internet service
  • Modem
  • Fax Machine
  • Printers
  • Copiers
  • Scanners
  • Phone with unlimited long distance calls
  • CD-RW

Software:

  • Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Word, Outlook, Publisher)
  • Macromedia Dreamweaver or Microsoft FrontPage (web design, installation and maintenance)
  • Instant Messaging (AOL, Yahoo, MSN, etc.)
  • Antivirus Software
  • Adobe Acrobat

While all the equipment and software listed above are not mandatory, they are very useful and very helpful to know how to use.

The Virtual Assistance industry is growing enormously. It has enable many to help them start their own businesses, while at home with his family. There are many good resources out there if you’re an aspiring Virtual Assistant.

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