Services to Offer as a New Virtual Assistant

Virtual AssistantIntrovertStart a Business

Jun 8

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In today's fast-paced digital world, the demand for virtual assistants is skyrocketing. As businesses and entrepreneurs strive for increased productivity and efficiency, the role of virtual assistants has become increasingly indispensable. If you are intrigued by the idea of working remotely and providing support to clients from the comfort of your own home, you've come to the right place! 🎉

Whether you're just starting your journey as a virtual assistant or looking to expand your existing skill set, I’m sharing with you some of the most sought after services virtual assistants can provide.

Gone are the days when virtual assistants were limited to basic administrative tasks. Today, virtual assistants have evolved into multifaceted professionals offering a wide range of services to cater to diverse client needs. From administrative support to social media management, content creation to project coordination, the possibilities are endless.

In this blog, we'll dive into the essential services you can offer as a virtual assistant. We'll explore various areas of expertise, specialized skills, and practical tips to enhance your value and attract clients. By the end of this blog, you'll be equipped with the knowledge and inspiration to unlock your potential and thrive as a virtual assistant. Let’s go! ✨

What is a Virtual Assistant (VA)?

A virtual assistant is quite simply someone who works for a company or small business virtually. Now, there’s obviously lots of nuance here because quite frankly, the term “virtual assistant” is far too vague. And honestly, I’m not a big fan of the phrase “virtual assistant” for this reason. I think it’s too all encompassing and whether you’re looking for a virtual assistant to hire or are starting your own business as one, there needs be be a bit more specificity in what you do or need help with.

We will get more in to that but for the sake of simplicity right now, you’re a virtual assistant if you work with or for online businesses or companies remotely.

The concept of a virtual assistant has actually been around for a while. But became much more well known when we all were suddenly stuck at home and people started looking for ways to make money during furloughs and layoffs.

My first foray into virtual assistant work was actually back in college around 2005-2006. I didn’t even know what it was at the time! 😂 I spent my summer interning for the local hockey team putting together things like the online newsletter, updating their website, and sending out emails. I absolutely loved it and didn’t want to quit when I had to go back to school.

So they let me continue that work from school, 3 hours away. They would just email me the content and I would log into the website to make updates or design the newsletter. It was the coolest thing in the world to me and I really had no idea what it would become.

Now, with the boom of online businesses, and even traditional businesses seeing the benefit of working remotely, the work of virtual assistants is more popular than ever.

What exactly are the benefits of becoming a virtual assistant?

Working remotely - this was a key reason I decided to branch into virtual assistant work. Prior to this I had a remote job for a major tech company, but they required me to work from my house. Don’t get me wrong, from home was better than going to an office for me. But I wanted the ability to go to a park if I wanted, or even just sit outside.
Making your own hours - this plays into the first one a lot for me. The tech company also set my hours. This has it’s positives, like I had a “stop time” every day where as now I can work straight through the day if I want. But if things came up or I just wanted a day off, it still had to go through all these channels to get approved. As a virtual assistant, you can make and adjust your hours however you need to.
Unlimited income - let’s face it, when you work for someone else, your income is probably limited. But when you work for yourself as a virtual assistant, you can charge rates that work for you and help you hit the income goals you have for your life.

It really boils down to three things. Location freedom, time freedom, and financial freedom. 😉

The Role of a Virtual Assistant

At it’s most basic, the role of a virtual assistant is to assist the person or company they work for. The actual work they do varies depending on who they work for.

So for example, if you’re an assistant for an executive of a company, you might do things like arrange travel, screen emails, reply to emails, schedule meetings, manage their calendar, things like that.
If you’re a virtual assistant for a small online business owner, like a branding coach, you might do things like, posting blogs, replying to customer emails, managing Facebook groups, or managing social media. The options are pretty much endless. We’ll dive into these tasks in more detail in a bit.

Versatility of VA Services

The awesome thing about being a virtual assistant is that you are not boxed into any one type of work. As you’re getting started, you’ll probably start out doing more generalized tasks. And that’s totally fine. It gives you experience in those things and gives you the opportunity to see what other kind of VA roles are out there to explore.

Virtual Assistant or VA is such a generalized term that it pretty much literally means anyone who works remotely, virtually, not in an office setting. It doesn’t specify the type of work. So the actual role of a virtual assistant is super versatile and can really be customized to the specific things you enjoy doing.

Now, let’s take a look at some of the more common virtual assistant services being offered these days. And keep in mind that you can mix and match these into the packages and services you actually end up offering.

Virtual Assistant Services

Administrative Tasks

Managing emails and calendars - this is one of the more common virtual assistant tasks, especially for beginners. Managing calendars could involve scheduling appointments with your client’s clients, scheduling podcast meetings, scheduling calls or lives in Facebook groups, etc. Managing emails could simply be making sure that the emails your client sees are relevant to the business, filtering out spam emails, or replying to customer service questions.
Organizing and maintaining digital files - nobody likes a messy Google Drive 😉 so having a well defined system in place for keeping your files organized is a must. It’s also a great service to offer clients especially if it’s simple and repeatable. You can organize their existing Drive folders and files and show them how they can keep it organized as they continue to create.

Customer Support and Communication

Answering emails and responding to inquiries - we touched on this a hair with managing emails and calendars, but essentially this is inbox management. For my clients this looks like checking the inbox every morning (or whatever designated hours I have for them), deleting any spam or junk emails, and going through the rest of the emails and responding appropriately. Maybe this is answering someone’s question about an offered service. Or perhaps a client has written in asking how many payments they have left on their program. Or it could be following up with someone’s failed payment. For me, it really just includes general admin customer service support. And of course this will vary by client.
Providing live chat support - this isn’t something I use with my clients very often but we do like offering it during live launches. It’s just a nice way to add a touchpoint for potential clients and customers to reach us. It’s not something we usually have online 24/7. But you absolutely could if that feels good to you.
Managing social media comments and messages - This is a lot like the email management but for social media. You could sign into your client’s Instagram account, for example, and reply to new comments, answer questions, or reply to direct messages. This isn’t something that I offer any more but when I did, I would send replies to comments on posts, thanking them for their comment or answering questions. And I would check the DM messages to see if there were any my client should respond to. Particularly if they asked questions that were out of my scope. For example, I could answer questions about programs but if they had specific questions about weight loss or a part of the program, I would direct those to my client to answer with her expertise.

Content Creation and Management

Editing and posting blog posts and website content - once your client has created their new content for the week (or whatever their content schedule may be) you can post it for them, or schedule it to be posted. How exactly this works will depend on your client and their workflow but as an example: my client uses podcasts as her core piece of content for the week. Once that podcast is recorded and edited, she gives it to me along with the show notes. I then schedule the podcast along with the show notes to go live in Libsyn so that it’s pushed to all of the podcast platforms. I also publish the show notes along with an embed of the podcast to her blog. So once it’s written or recorded, you can publish your client’s main piece of content to make sure it’s scheduled on time every week.
Repurposing content into engaging social media posts and captions - I find that repurposing existing content for clients is super helpful. Every single IG post doesn’t need to be written from scratch every day. You can pull content for various social media platforms from content that has already been created. Whether that’s blog posts, podcasts, or YouTube videos. Repurposing content can take a little time since it needs to be formatted for the new platform, so it’s a great way to save time for your client while boosting their marketing efforts.
Curating and scheduling content for online platforms - this could look like scheduling pins on Pinterest, pulling clips from YouTube videos for TikTok, or pulling content from a blog for an Instagram post. It goes hand in hand with the content repurposing. Taking the content that you repurpose and scheduling it to the appropriate platforms.

One caveat I have to actual content creation is no one knows your client’s zone of genius like they do. So I don’t offer content creation, as in from scratch, for my clients. But I’m happy to repurpose content they have created into new pieces of content. If you are (or plan to be) an ghost writer or copywriter who is fully comfortable writing content for your clients, more power to you! If you’re not, that’s totally fine. You can still help your clients with their content in these other ways. 💖

Project Management

Project management starts to dip a bit into OBM (Online Business Manager) roles. But, I thought I’d touch on them a little here. Depending on your background, this may be something you want to consider to start with. But typically isn’t going to be something a virtual assistant does in the beginning. But is absolutely something to move forward into as you become more comfortable in the role, working for yourself, working online, and working in someone else’s business.

It’s also possible that the business you work with has an OBM in place already. In that case, they will be the ones overseeing the project. And you’ll be helping them to complete the projects tasks.

Coordinating and scheduling tasks and projects - this could look like planning a launch or a new product offer. The big one for me is usually launches. I work as an OBM for one of my clients so we have a full on launch plan mapped out that we repeat each time we launch a product. While we both work on it, I manage the list of things that need to be done, make sure they are assigned to the right people, and the due dates are in line with our goals. As a virtual assistant, you likely wouldn’t be managing the project as a whole but would be an important piece in making sure the tasks are done on time.
Tracking progress and deadlines - this again would most likely fall to the OBM on the team but it could look like you just making sure that progress is being made on the current projects. Whether that’s an upcoming launch or the creation of a new product. Communication is important here to make sure everyone is on the same page.
Collaborating with team members - collaboration goes hand in hand with coordinating and tracking progress. If you have a team that you are working with, it’s important that everyone is collaborating and working together. When I work with my client’s, it’s typically just them and me, a 2 person team. But you may have additional support in the form of an OBM or another virtual assistant who does something specialized like making graphics, or scheduling to Pinterest (more on that later).

Specialized Services

Specialized services as a virtual assistant really allow you to stand out. While it’s fine to start off as a general VA until you figure out what you like to do the most, it’s important to start to narrow down your services and become really good at that thing. Now that’s not to stay you can’t offer multiple types of services. You absolutely can. But if you can become known for being the best at one or two specific things, it will really help you stand out in an ever growing pool of virtual assistants.

Social Media Management

Social media management is HUGE for online businesses. I know for me personally, it’s my least favorite thing to do. It’s so time consuming for most people that important things are neglected because we feel like we need to post on IG every day. That post takes 900 hours to write and find a graphic for. And then before we know it the whole day is gone and that’s all we did. Then the pendulum swings the other way and we give up on social media to focus on other stuff and never post. Like ever. So having someone on the team who can take some of that pressure off is huge.

So if you enjoy being on social media here are a few things you can help your clients with:

Developing social media strategies and content calendars - this one is important because not everyone’s strategy is going to be exactly the same. Plus the platforms themselves are always changing. So being in the know with what’s working now and how to adjust when things change is a powerful gift.
Engaging with followers and growing the online presence - we touched on this earlier but replying to comments and answering some DMs for your clients can help so much when it comes to beginning to build relationships with their audience. I’m not talking about doing it in an inauthentic way where the follower thinks you are your client. But just engaging with them enough so that they know their message was seen and your client will be in touch soon goes a long way.
Monitoring analytics and adjusting strategies accordingly - this goes well with the strategies. Things are always changing in the social media world. So if you’re able to monitor what’s going ton and help your clients make adjustments that keep them in the game, that’s very valuable and needed in the online space.

Graphic Design and Multimedia

This is another big one to me as I am not a graphic designer. I can use Canva. I can create Pinterest pins as I need them. But if I need a handful of graphics or try to design a PDF document I will be in there all day. So if you have a design eye and like creating things using someone else’s brand assets then you can really become a star virtual assistant with graphic design services.

Creating visually appealing graphics for social media and websites - this is a wonderful place to start if you enjoy graphic design and have an eye for it. It’s a huge time suck for a lot of entrepreneurs so having someone who understands the brand and can create the graphics we need is a huge asset.
Editing and producing videos and podcasts - video and podcast editing is also a great niche to work in if that’s your thing. More and more entrepreneurs are turning to video and audio as their core piece of content because it’s quicker to make than writing and it can be repurposed in so many different ways (including writing). So if you are a video or audio editor or this is something that interests you, there is most definitely a market out there for those services.
Designing marketing materials and presentations - marketing materials could be things like ad graphics or PDFs for lead generation. Either way, again, having a graphic designer who understands the brand and the aesthetic that your client is trying to accomplish is super important and valuable to a business. The same goes for presentations. These could be for webinars, live classes, or pre-recorded content for courses.

Website Management and Optimization

This is one of my favorite things to do as a tech virtual assistant and OBM. Websites come across as super overwhelming to a lot of people. And while I don’t consider myself a “website designer”, I love helping clients maintain their websites and make sure they are optimized for the best performance among search engines.

Updating website content and ensuring smooth functionality - this could be things like updating plug ins if your client is using Wordpress. Or simply switching out a few pictures and checking the SEO to make sure the right pages are optimized with the best keywords.
Implementing SEO strategies for improved search rankings - speaking of SEO 😉 this involves, again, making sure the home page in particular, but also other key pages are optimized with the right keywords to show up in Google searches for those keywords. This is one of my favorite marketing strategies as an introvert so it’s important to make sure the keywords a site is ranking for is actually what their ideal client is searching for.
Monitoring website analytics and making data-driven improvements - this looks like monitoring Google Analytics to see what keywords are driving traffic to the site. It could also be seeing which blog posts are getting the most traffic and making sure they are up to date and optimized with the best keywords.

Tips for Success as a Virtual Assistant

Building a Strong Online Presence

There are many ways to build a strong online presence. One is to create an attractive portfolio website. I like this idea generally speaking because being able to see your work before hiring you will give potential new clients some confidence in your skills. However before you showcase any work, be sure to check with your clients to make sure they are okay with content from their business being on your website. You may be able to share a link to their website, for example, to showcase your website maintenance skills.

But when it comes to something more technical like setting up a sales funnel, there really isn’t a way to showcase that on your website or in a portfolio. This is where testimonials and recommendations from clients come in. Having someone talk about your skills to someone else or share it on social media is a huge boost to someone who might be considering hiring you. You can screenshot comments about your products and services and use those on your website either by marking out the name of who made the comment or asking for their permission. You can also send out a short testimonial form to clients after their time with you is done and include those on your site and sales pages.

Networking and Collaborating

Networking and collaborating might be the toughest part of getting your own virtual assistant business going. Especially if you’re an introvert like me. I tend to limit my social interactions big picture but focus on true and genuine ones instead. That said, there are still ways you can network as an introvert.

Start by joining virtual assistant communities and forums. These are a great place to make connections. Even if it doesn’t always lead to a new client right away, it’s great to have connections with people who do similar work as you, especially as an introvert. If they find themselves unable to take on more work, or the work their client is looking for isn’t within their wheelhouse, they’ll be more likely to recommend their client to you because they know you’ll take care of them.

Collaborating with other freelancers or virtual assistants for project opportunities is also a great way to build your network. It’s similar to what I just mentioned above. If you can create or join a network of virtual assistants who are doing similar work as you (because remember, there is plenty to go around!) you can team up and even share work when someone becomes fully or over booked. Or if the client needs something different than what you or they offer. They can refer to you and you can refer to them.

Seeking mentorship or guidance from experienced professionals is also a super beneficial strategy. For one, they can guide you if you’re not quite sure what the next step is. It’s always a good idea to be working with a mentor or coach as you build your business. They can help you see past things that may be stopping you from making progress. You also create a wonderful connection there with someone who can refer you to their clients if it seems like the connection is a good fit!

Continuous Learning and Skill Development

Continuous learning and skill development is super important as a virtual assistant. Staying updated with the latest industry trends and tools is one way to stay ahead of your competition. But even more than that, it’s one of the most important ways you can support your clients. Because remember, their job is to stay in their zone of genius and support their clients in that way. Your job is to support them in your area of expertise and that means staying on top of new trends and changes so they don’t have to.

Taking relevant online courses or certifications is also a plus. I love taking courses to learn new ways to do things or even new ways to market myself. So as you start to learn more about what exactly you like to do as a virtual assistant, start looking into ways to expand that knowledge. Google knows a lot but can only get you so far. I like taking courses from other online entrepreneurs. Coursera is another place I have gone to take online courses. You can earn certificates for completing Coursera courses as well, which can be a nice addition to your site for new potential clients to see.

Expanding your skill set to offer a wider range of services goes hand in hand with taking online courses. You don’t need to be certified in new skills in order to offer them as services. But you should always be expanding your skillset. It’s important to niche down and not offer too broad of services to your clients. But I think it’s also a good idea to have at least an idea of how to do many different things so you can help them out with these things if needed, until they can hire someone to take over that particular thing.

Or even just to get to know the current tools you use better. For example, we use ClickUp every single day but don’t know everything there is to know about that app. So expanding my skillset would also include something like learning more about using ClickUp so that we can use it more efficiently.

Conclusion

Wow! 🤩 We covered so much in this blog post today! I hope it gave you a good idea of services you can offer as a new virtual assistant. You can start with admin tasks or customer service, content or project support, or you can dive right into tech (my fave!).

I encourage you to explore all the different opportunities out there as a virtual assistant. But don’t get stuck trying to figure out what you want to do the most. You won’t really know until you get into it and start working. I started working doing graphics and emails for clients. I learned quickly that I don’t enjoy making graphics so it’s not something I offer anymore. Same with social media. I used to help with that but I rarely even use social media for my own business anymore so I don’t offer it to clients.

But you won’t know these things until you start working with clients!

So get started today! Take a look at the VA Spark Starter Kit for some tools, videos, and cheatsheets from when I started my VA business to help you get started with yours today. 💜

xx,
Delana

PS: If you’re looking for more info on the systems and tools I used to start my virtual assistant business, I invite you to check out the Virtual Assistant Spark Starter Kit.

This free library gives you access to the tools and processes I used to start my business when I had no idea what I was doing! 😉 I’ve taken some of the guesswork out for you so you can get `started today.