What is a Virtual Assistant?

So, you’ve been searching on the internet on how to work for yourself and stumbled upon what’s most likely a sketchy website about how you can quickly become a Virtual Assistant in no time. However, upon more research you find out, there is no quick and easy way to become one. You realise it takes time and energy, especially when starting out with no clients. Creating a website, marketing yourself, and cold emailing, are just some of the things you need to do to even make enough to live comfortably. And let’s not even start with the level of skill set you need. After reading endless articles and scrolling through a bunch of TikToks you find yourself back at square one. Until you read this very blog post. Consider this post your ultimate guide to becoming a Virtual Assistant in the UK. Before I get into how to become a Virtual Assistant, let’s start off with what it even is.

A Virtual Assistant, also known as a VA is essentially a business’s right hand. They handle various tasks that a business just has no time for – usually considered “boring tasks” when it comes to office gossip. As a VA, you’ll typically find yourself doing administration work, data entry, social media, and much more. You end up becoming a huge part of your client’s operations, helping them streamline their processes and achieve their business goals. Virtual Assistants work remotely, making it a perfect career path for those looking for a career that allows for flexibility.

With more and more businesses on the hunt for VAs, the role is expanding at lightning speed. This once part-time administration role has transformed into a full-blown career path for many. 

Skills And Qualities Needed To Thrive As A Virtual Assistant:

Communication:

Being a successful Virtual Assistant is all about having the right mix of skills and personal qualities. You need to have strong written communication skills to be able to interact with your clients. When applying for Virtual Assistant positions, showing that you’re a pro at communicating can significantly boost your chances of landing your dream client. 

IT Proficiency:

As a VA, your day-to-day tasks rely heavily on IT proficiency. You’ll probably be expected to be a wizard of multiple different technology platforms and use them to supercharge your client’s businesses. Whether it’s being able to navigate different technology platforms or introducing some game-changing tech to level up a business, being tech-savvy is key.

Time Management:

Balancing multiple projects and meeting deadlines is part of the job, requiring disciplined scheduling and prioritisation. Businesses are counting on you heavily, so be prepared to keep piling tasks onto that never-ending to-do list. Here are some tips to help you better manage your time:

• Start by prioritising tasks based on what’s urgent and important and make a plan on how you’ll tackle each task. 
• Use digital tools such as Notion or Trello to keep your deadlines and projects in check. This will help get rid of the stress of remembering every due date because you’ll have it all neatly organised in one place. 
• Set clear goals for each day, week, and month. This will give you a roadmap to follow, making it easier to focus and get the job done.

The key is to find a technique that works for you and stick to it. Whether it’s the good old-fashioned pen and paper or a productivity app, once you’ve nailed your time management, you’ll be able to take on more clients which means more income coming in.

Benefits Of Becoming A Virtual Assistant:

• Work from practically anywhere: With the emergence of remote work, thanks to the pandemic, people have started to realise that they don’t need to be in the office for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. Not only does it give you that added flexibility but also allows you to free up a couple of hours in your day commuting. By being a VA, you have that added flexibility to work from anywhere on your own schedule, allowing you to spend a lot more time on what matters. You’ll have more time to spend with your family, catch up with friends, or even get that much-needed sleep you’ve been lacking. 
• Do what you love: Virtual Assistants get to choose to offer any service they’d like. This means you get to choose the tasks which you’re good at, and that you genuinely enjoy. Definitely a win-win.
• Up your income: Virtual Assistants often charge an hourly rate or a flat fee for specific projects. This means you get to choose your own prices. This is a huge way to up your income, as you basically price yourself, rather than earning a salary that you’re not exactly happy about.
• Create your own business: When choosing to become a Virtual Assistant, you’re essentially creating your own personal brand or business. This means you have complete ownership of what you do and how you do it. No more spending time on outdated business processes that don’t even work. You can create your own process, and take complete ownership of your brand.
• Form client relationships: When working remotely many often fear the lack of human interaction and having to do a lot of things on their own. However, the beauty of being a VA, means that you’re able to build meaningful relationships with the clients you work with and can have a clear working relationship. As a VA, you’ll be speaking to new people every day, whether that be with solo entrepreneurs, small business owners, or even corporate professionals.  
• High demand: Businesses of any size can definitely use an extra pair of hands to help them with various tasks. The issue is, that many businesses are reluctant to hire new staff due to the time and money needed to hire someone new. From recruitment fees to training, hiring new staff is a headache for many businesses. This is where you come in. Your skills are in demand, and you can help businesses with the tasks they don’t have the resources for while also helping them save money and time. Since many VAs operate on a pay-as-you-go system, businesses aren’t spending money on employees they only need at certain times of the year.

How To Become A Virtual Assistant:

1. Understand Your Niche:

Virtual Assistants cover a wide range of skill sets. And identifying your niche is crucial to figuring out the types of services you’d like to offer. While you can be a jack of all trades, I wouldn’t recommend this. I would advise you to stick to what you know, as you’ll be able to offer a service of much higher quality. You can also showcase your past experience to businesses, giving you extra brownie points. 

Find the right balance between what you enjoy and what you can do at a high level. This will act as a great starting point for what to offer to clients. I would also recommend starting off with offering only a handful of services. 4-7 is a good number of services to start off with to really help perfect your skills and see if it’s something you even enjoy doing.

Another thing you might want to hone in on is the types of businesses you want to target your services to. This is essentially your target audience. It is best to target a specific industry or business size to ensure you have a clear understanding of what the business needs are. This also prevents you from having to worry about that ever-so-daunting imposter syndrome when working with a business you’re not comfortable working with. 

2. Create A Business Plan:

Once you’ve identified what it is you actually want to offer, you can then go ahead and create a business plan. This business plan will be the backbone of everything you do and will determine whether your succeed or not. This is where you’ll figure out your goals, targets, pricing structure, and marketing strategy. You can’t expect to get clients straight away, and that’s okay. The beginning stages are all about growing your business. 

Remember: Being a Virtual Assistant requires a lot of prep from beforehand. You can’t dive head first, expecting to start swimming from the get-go. It’ll take time to grow, and creating a business plan will make the journey 10x easier. It won’t happen overnight. But with a little bit of patience and consistency, you’ll definitely be headed in the right direction.

You’ll also need to identify your business model. This is one of the big decisions you’ll face as a VA and will influence how you operate as a Virtual Assistant. Whether you choose to work as a freelancer or establish a limited company, it’s important to choose a model that fits your lifestyle, goals, and level of flexibility you’re looking for:

• Working as a Freelance Virtual Assistant: Working as a freelancer is all about freedom and independence. You get to call the shots, pick your clients, and set your own hours. It’s perfect if you’re all about variety and love the idea of working from wherever you please.  Plus, freelancing lets you dip your toes into the Virtual Assistant field and build your portfolio and client base without the commitment of forming a company.
• Starting a Limited Company: Starting a limited company as a Virtual Assistant in the UK involves a lot more structure – think paperwork, legalities, etc. But, it does come with a lot of perks such as limited liability and potential tax advantages. This option is perfect for the go-getters who are looking to grow their Virtual Assistant business into an empire. It also allows you to possibly hire other VAs down the line and take on a much greater workload.

3. Create A Portfolio:

Whether you’re just starting out as a VA, or have years of experience under your belt, you’re more than likely to be asked “Do you have any examples of your work?”. Now if you’re just starting out and have no prior experience, you’re going to find it very difficult to provide an answer. This is why building a professional portfolio is essential if you’re going to be offering creative services. The main question I get is “How do I create a portfolio if I have no clients?.” This is where a brief generator tool comes in handy. A brief generator will generate creative briefs which you can use to create materials like social media posts and email campaigns. 

If you’re offering more technical services such as data entry, you won’t be required to show potential clients a portfolio. Instead, they’ll ask if you’ve worked with businesses like theirs in the past. While you always can lie, I would never recommend this. Instead try offering your services to local businesses for a cheaper rate or even free just to get experience, and showcase your skills. This is also a great way to get testimonials to boost your credibility.

4. Set Up The Legal Part Of Being A VA In The UK:

Once you’ve completed your portfolio and you’re now ready to start selling your services, it is time to figure out all the legal aspects. At first, it may seem daunting, especially if you haven’t handled the legal side of a business. The first thing you want to do is register your business on the gov.uk website. This is where you get to choose the name of your business if you haven’t already. Once you’ve chosen a name for your business, you’ll then need to check if it hasn’t already been used. You can do this by checking with the National Business Register to ensure you have a unique business name. You’ll then need to register yourself as self-employed with HMRC. After registering, they’ll then send you important information such as national insurance and tax.

To keep you protected from legal issues, you’ll also want to create clear and well-thought-out contracts for your clients. These contracts are designed to outline the scope of work, payment terms, intellectual property, and other important aspects to protect both you and your client. This is incredibly important to do to ensure you’re keeping yourself protected from any financial or legal complications in the future. If in doubt, speak to a legal professional, to help review your contracts. This will make sure you’re not missing out on any important information. 

Just like any business, when starting your VA journey, you’ll be handling a lot of sensitive information. In your previous roles, it was your employer’s responsibility to handle that sensitive data and ensure it was stored in a secure area. However, now this is your responsibility. Whatever client information you have your hands on, you’ll have to ensure you’re storing that data in line with data protection laws such as GDPR.

It’s essential to consult with legal professionals or business advisors to understand and comply with the specific legal requirements in your location and industry. Compliance with laws and regulations is crucial to maintaining a successful and legally sound virtual assistant business.

5. Build Awareness Of Your Brand And Market Yourself:

If you’re not getting the word out about your VA services, no one will know. You’ll need to start building awareness of your brand and market yourself to land yourself those dream clients. Social media platforms such as Instagram and LinkedIn are great places to start sharing about what you do and the benefits of working with you. You can also use freelancing websites such as Fiverr and Upwork to find clients, grow your brand and build your online presence.

6. Continuously Develop Your Skills:

Your focus should be on delivering high-quality work, not trying to make some quick cash. Being a Virtual Assistant requires a lot of upfront investment of your time and money. Continuously developing your skills, staying updated on the latest tools, and understanding the recent industry trends can boost your skill set and help you to remain competitive. You’ll also have the opportunity to provide much more high-quality, high-in-demand services that many businesses sometimes don’t have the time or resources to do themselves.

There are many free courses available on the market that can help you improve your skills. A quick search on ‘free marketing courses’ can give you a full list of courses that are in-depth and easy to digest. If you’re a VA looking to offer marketing services, I recommend the Hubspot courses. Not only are they designed for certain skill levels, but are in an interesting video format with interactive quizzes to really help you understand the course better.

How To Start Getting Clients:

The long-awaited answer of “how do I even get clients in the first place?.” There are many tools and strategies you can use to get the word out about your newly-found business. While you may not want to use all to avoid becoming overwhelmed, being consistent in a few has proven to be effective.

• Online freelancing platforms: Sign up on popular freelancing platforms such as Upwork, Fiverr, and PeoplePerHour to help showcase your skills to people and businesses who are looking for services like the ones you offer. Ensure your profile looks professional and that you have enough relevant information about your service or brand to boost credibility and increase the likelihood of people working with you.
• Personal website: Investing in a website can also work great, as it’s a marketing tool that operates 24/7, landing you potential clients even while you’re asleep. With a website, you’re able to showcase your services, show off your portfolio, and help potential clients get a better insight into you and your business. Having a website also lets you delve into the world of content marketing, creating relevant blog posts to help drive traffic to your website. However, it can be costly when just starting out, especially if you have no prior web design experience. This is why it’s essential to understand your budget for marketing and ensure you’re putting your time and energy into things that work.
• Networking: Networking events also work a charm and are great places to find business people who may be on the lookout for a Virtual Assistant. You can speak to them directly about what it is that you offer and can potentially land you some clients right off the bat.
• Social media: Social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook are great places to start sharing about what you do and the benefits of working with you. LinkedIn is another great platform to use and is especially useful for connecting with business professionals, as well as sharing your expertise. 
• Email marketing: Start building an email list of potential clients and send out weekly newsletters and promotional campaigns to spread the word about your business and keep you fresh in their minds. 
• Cold outreach: Cold outreach can oftentimes be a hit or miss. However, it’s definitely worth a try and you can learn a lot of valuable skills as well as better understand your target audience. Make sure to personalise each email, message, or call to your potential client’s business, and explain how you can solve their problems. 
• Word of mouth: Encourage your existing clients to refer you to others who might need your services. Even if you just have 1 client under your belt, then 1 client can soon turn into 50 clients. Referral incentives are a good way to expand your client base and increase word of mouth.
• Offer your services for free: While many VAs and freelancers oppose offering your services for free, it can be a powerful strategy to build your client base and increase your level of expertise. By providing a taste of your skills, you can showcase the value you can add to client’s businesses. Once the businesses you work with start to recognise the quality of your work, they’re more likely to pay for your services. I would only recommend doing this at the beginning when you have little to no clients, as your time is money, and once you start working on more projects, you’re not going to have the time to work on tasks you’re receiving no money for. 

You may also like: How To Find Clients As A VA!

FAQs About Becoming A Virtual Assistant In The UK:

After reading this blog, you might be sitting there with a bunch of burning questions swirling around in your head. That’s totally normal! Becoming a VA in the UK is a completely different ball game. I mean, there’s so much to wrap your head around, Figuring out what services to offer, how to get your name out there, and basically everything in between. It’s enough to make anyone’s head spin. This is why I’ve compiled some common FAQs to answer any questions you may have.

How Much Do Virtual Assistants In The UK Make?

The salary of a Virtual Assistant in the UK varies widely. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer, and and there are many factors that come into play such as skills, experience, and the types of services you’re offering. On average, VAs in the UK can earn between £10 – £35 per hour. Yep, that’s quite the range, and it all depends on what you bring to the table. Your average annual salary will also fluctuate based on workload and client base so be prepared to not have a steady income.

How Long Does It Take To Become A Virtual Assistant In The UK?

The road to becoming a Virtual Assistant in the UK can also vary widely. If you already have experience in roles that have given you transferable skills, you might find that you can transition into a Virtual Assistant role almost immediately. If you’re starting from scratch, picking up the necessary skills could take a few weeks. Remember, everyone’s journey is different and it’s about how much time and effort you put in. For some, it can be a swift process, while for others it can take weeks or even months. Make sure to stay consistent and you can make the transition in no time.

What Are Some Challenges Faced By Virtual Assistants, Especially When Starting Out?

Virtual Assistants face many challenges, especially when starting their career journey. One major challenge is getting your foot in the door with clients. The competition is fierce and standing out and securing clients requires dedication and perseverance. Potential clients need to be able to trust you. The way to gain trust is by showing as well as proving to them that you can add value to their business.

Once you do get some clients, you’ll be faced with the whole juggling act of managing your time. Between keeping multiple tasks on track, making sure each client receives top-notch work, and growing your brand, it can be an extremely daunting experience. Remember, to take things one at a time and don’t take on extra workload just for the sake of getting more money or because you’re too afraid to say “no”. This can lead to burnout and can make you hate what you do. Identify your limits and set realistic expectations for yourself and your clients. Don’t overwork yourself to the point of exhaustion.

Another challenge I see many VAs face is figuring out the money situation. Setting fair rates and negotiating contracts can be a bit of a tightrope walk. Balancing what you’re worth with what attracts clients can be a major challenge. However, don’t sell yourself short by setting low rates, especially if you have a high in-demand skill set.

What Strategies Can Virtual Assistants Use To Continuously Develop Their Skills And Remain Competitive In The Industry?

Continuously developing your skills as a Virtual Assistant in the UK is a must to stay on top of the competition. Whether it’s learning new software, honing those problem-solving skills, or understanding the latest digital marketing trends, expanding your knowledge base is a must. Not only does it level up your service quality, but also makes you more valuable to your clients and helps you stand out in a market that’s buzzing with competition.

Now, while it’s not exactly a requirement, engaging in some virtual assistant training courses can really give your business a boost. These courses offer valuable insights and insider knowledge from experienced VAs that can help you succeed. Plus, certifications from these training courses can boost your credibility and make it easier to win over potential clients.

What Are The Common Misconceptions of Becoming a VA?

There are quite a few misconceptions floating around surrounding the journey of becoming a VA. These myths lead to misunderstandings about the profession and can throw really people off. One common misconception is that VAs are simply glorified administrative assistants with a limited skill set. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. In reality, Virtual Assistants come in all different shapes and sizes, with a diverse range of expertise. VAs can handle almost everything a business needs from graphic design to data entry, and even content creation.

Another misconception is the notion that being a VA means you’re stuck on a lonely island with minimal human interaction. Contrary to this belief, VAs are all about building connections with clients, fellow VAs, and other business professionals. And thanks to the power of the internet, we’re constantly plugged into various online platforms, keeping the conversation going.

Now, here’s another myth: the belief that being a VA means you’re stuck to a rigid schedule. Many underestimate the flexibility that comes with being a VA, thinking it’s a career where you’re chained to a desk at all times. However, as VAs, we’ve got the power to set our own schedules, cherry-pick our clients, and work from pretty much anywhere we want. This offers a unique work-life balance that you most likely wouldn’t receive from other career paths.

Closing Thoughts: How To Become A Virtual Assistant In the UK:

Starting your career as a Virtual Assistant unlocks a whole realm of potential, both financially and personally. It’s an incredibly rewarding career, especially when you’re able to swoop in and remove hurdles for your clients, helping their businesses grow. The role definitely requires a blend of multitasking, drive, and genuine passion to make it all happen.