Course Description

A virtual assistant works from his or her own office, offering administrative and office support services, to small business owners and companies over the Internet. A virtual assistant can make from $15-$50 per hour performing tasks such as word processing, database management, desktop publishing, email services and more. Since virtual assistants work from their homes, for customers they often never meet, they do not need to be located in the same city or even the same state. Students in this course will learn how to establish and successfully grow a virtual assistant business including learning how to locate customers, set fees, and develop client contracts.

Course Requirements

Textbook Required in Course: will be given after registration

Course Goals

Upon completion of this course the student should be able to...

• Describe an overview of starting a growing a virtual assistant business
• Perform online and offline marketing to attract clients
• Develop contracts appropriate for services offered
• Set fees for services provided
• Describe the legal and tax issues related to running a virtual assisting business from home

Course Outline

• What is a virtual assistant?
• Benefits of owning a VA business
• Traits of successful VA’s
• What services to offer
• Setting up shop
• Communicating with clients 
• Pricing and billing
• Marketing your services
• Project Management
• Getting further help

Course Content

• An overview of the nature, history, and duties of virtual assistants
• Benefits afforded to virtual assistants and their clients
• Necessary traits to be successful as a virtual assistant
• A summary of the kinds of services virtual assistants offer
• Details of setting up a virtual assisting practice
• Particulars of communicating with clients locally and remotely
• Pricing and billing practices of virtual assistants
• Marketing and advertising the virtual assisting practice
• Project Management
• Resources for support

Methods

The course will include...

• Assigned readings
• Email correspondence with the instructor and interactions on the classroom discussion boards
• An entrepreneurial self-assessment exercise
• A market research exercise studying the competition
• A goal setting exercise for the business
• A skills assessment exercise designed to help the student pinpoint what services to offer
• Development of preliminary literature (cards, brochure, etc) for the company
• Creation of a pricing menu
• A market survey exercise searching for potential clients
• A target marketing exercise
• Using Project Management software